President Donald Trump has endorsed Darline Graham, the late Senator Lindsey Graham's sister, for a full six-year Senate term in South Carolina's upcoming special election. Nothing says "drain the swamp" quite like keeping the seat warm for family, but hey, at least she earned the endorsement the old fashioned way: by visiting the White House.
As Trending Politics News reported, Trump announced his backing on social media after meeting with Darline Graham at the White House on Friday, calling her "a WINNER all of her life." He added, "She has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, DARLINE, RUN!" The all caps are doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
The endorsement immediately scrambles what was shaping up to be a competitive Republican primary. Before this, Trump had hinted he might support Rep. Russell Fry. Other Republicans reportedly eyeing the seat include Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, all of whom just got a collective gut punch delivered via social media post. Imagine spending all week prepping your campaign launch only to watch the former president pick someone who wasn't even expected to run.
Four people familiar with the discussions said Darline Graham had privately expressed interest in launching a campaign. Candidates have from July 21 through July 28 to file for the special Republican primary, scheduled for August 11. That is a tight timeline, so expect a lot of very rushed yard signs.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham earlier this week to complete the remainder of Lindsey Graham's term, which expires in January. A person familiar with the governor's thinking said McMaster did not actually expect her to seek the seat herself when he picked her. Surprise, Governor.
As she was sworn in, Darline Graham called the appointment "such an honor" while surrounded by dozens of her brother's longtime staff members and campaign advisers, several of whom became visibly emotional. She said, "Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him." With her swearing in, she became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
Lindsey Graham died last Saturday at age 71. A preliminary report from the medical examiner found he suffered a tear in his aorta. A memorial service will be held in Washington on July 28, followed by services in South Carolina on July 29.
Although the longtime senator never married or had children, his sister was a constant presence throughout his political career, appearing at campaign events and in several of his advertisements. So in a sense, she has been running for this seat for years. She just did not know it yet.
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