Lindsey Graham's Senate Seat Has a New Owner — And the Choice Is Already Making History

The person selected to succeed Lindsey Graham has already pledged to support the president and carry forward the late senator's efforts for the people of the state and the country.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has named a successor to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.

The appointment will last for the remainder of Graham's term. During the announcement, the governor called the decision both his duty and an honor, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).

McMaster opened the announcement by reflecting on Graham's legacy, calling him an "irreplaceable" and "extraordinary" public servant. He then hinted that the person chosen to succeed him shared a lifelong connection with the late senator.

Moments later, the governor revealed that Lindsey Graham's younger sibling, Darline Graham Nordone, will serve out the remainder of his Senate term. "It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now," McMaster said.

Nordone used her first public remarks to remember her brother, calling him "the most amazing person, outstanding leader and just a genuinely good man." She said he devoted his life to serving South Carolina and the United States, working tirelessly on behalf of the people he represented.

She then shifted her focus from remembrance to the work that lies ahead.

"It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work," Nordone said, according to AP. "I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States."

The appointment also carries historic significance. According to the media outlet, Nordone becomes the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate, making McMaster's deeply personal choice a milestone for the state's political history as well.