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Gov. Henry McMaster will name his choice to finish out U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s term in Congress at 4 p.m. Monday, according to a news release.
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Shortly following McMaster’s announcement, President Donald Trump said he recommended the governor choose Darline Graham Nordone, Graham’s younger sister, to fill in.
“This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Trump posted on Truth Social Monday morning.
South Carolina’s senior senator died suddenly Saturday evening, his office announced. A preliminary report found he died of an aortic dissection — a tear in the aorta— due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner of the District of Columbia.
Graham’s death left his U.S. Senate seat open as Congress returned to work Monday. Under state law, McMaster chooses someone to finish out Graham’s term, which ends in January 2027.
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Whether McMaster’s pick will run for a full six-year term is still unclear. When he died, Graham was running for a fifth term to the U.S. Senate. He easily won the Republican nomination in June, beating back five competitors.
A special primary election will be held August 11 to replace Graham’s name on the November GOP ballot. If necessary, a runoff will be held August 25.
It’s the first time a South Carolina U.S. Senate seat opened in more than a decade, and potential candidates will have to decide quickly if they want to compete for a six-year term. Graham held the seat for nearly 24 years.
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This is a breaking news story and will be updated