Trump urges Darline Graham to seek Senate term

President Donald Trump endorsed newly appointed Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina on Friday, urging her to run in the special election to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the sudden death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”

Trump said Graham would have his “Complete and Total Endorsement” if she enters the race. CBS News reported that she indicated during a White House meeting Thursday that she is weighing a bid, citing two sources familiar with her plans. Trump said in his post that he asked her to run during that meeting, calling her a “spectacular person” and adding, “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, appointed Graham on Monday to serve the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s current term, which ends in early January. She was sworn in Tuesday, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

The appointment came after Lindsey Graham died suddenly Saturday night, creating a vacancy and upending a Senate race in which he had already secured the Republican nomination. Graham had served in the Senate since 2003 and was seeking a potential fifth term. He won the state’s GOP primary in June and was expected to appear on the November general election ballot.

Under South Carolina law, Republican candidates seeking to run for the seat may begin filing their intentions on July 21. The special Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, and the winner will compete in the November general election for a six-year term.

Darline Graham, 62, has not previously held elected office, CBS News reported. She has worked in disability services and most recently served as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. On Monday, she said that with support from her brother’s staff, she felt confident in her ability to perform the role.

Her potential candidacy drew an encouraging response from Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who also chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans. Asked Wednesday by CBS News whether Graham might run for a full term, Scott said, “Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start.” He added, “Why not her?”

Other South Carolina Republicans had been mentioned as possible candidates after Graham’s death, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Nancy Mace. Businessman Mark Lynch, who lost to Graham in the June primary, said Monday that he planned to revive his Senate campaign.

Darline Graham and her brother had often spoken publicly about their close bond. Lindsey Graham adopted his younger sister when she was 13 after both of their parents died. “I don’t know what I would have done without him,” she told Fox News in a joint interview in 2015.