South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has appointed Darline Graham Nordone to serve the remainder of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s term, sending the longtime public figure’s sister to Washington after his death over the weekend, as reported by Breitbart.

Nordone will serve as South Carolina’s interim U.S. senator until January, when the winner of the upcoming election takes office.

A Republican special primary scheduled for next month will determine the party’s nominee for the general election in November, where the Republican candidate will face Democrat Annie Andrews.

Although Nordone has never held elected office, she has remained closely involved in her brother’s public life for decades, appearing with him at speeches, campaign events, and political advertisements.

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Her appointment follows a lifetime marked by the close relationship she shared with Graham, who became her legal guardian after the deaths of both of their parents while they were still young.

Their mother died in 1976 following a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Fifteen months later, the family suffered another tragedy when Nordone, then 13 years old, found their father after he died from a heart attack in his sleep.

At the time, Graham was 22 years old and beginning law school at the University of South Carolina. Following the deaths of their parents, he shifted his focus to caring for his younger sister.

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“I can remember the day my father passed away, standing in the living room of that house, absolutely scared to death,” Nordone told NPR in 2015.

“Lindsey wrapped his arms around me and promised me he would always be there for me and always take care of me.”

While attending law school in Columbia, Graham regularly traveled to Seneca, where relatives were helping care for his sister. He later became her legal guardian.

After joining the U.S. Air Force as a military lawyer, Graham adopted Nordone so she would qualify for his military benefits.

The relationship between the siblings remained a defining part of Graham’s life throughout his political career.

Graham, who never married or had children, even joked during his 2016 presidential campaign that his sister could be among a “rotating” group of White House hosts serving in place of a first lady.

Nordone frequently appeared alongside Graham during major political moments.

When he filed his candidacy paperwork in March for this year’s Senate election, she attended with her children and grandchildren.

Speaking during that filing, Graham reflected on the hardships he and his sister overcame together.

“What have I learned in this life I’ve led? I take nothing for granted. I count every blessing, every day,” Graham said.

He continued by recalling the challenges they faced after losing their parents before adding, “I understand what a blessing my life has been and the only way I can pay you back for the blessings I’ve received is to be the most thoughtful, relevant, aggressive senator.”

Nordone later married, raised children and grandchildren, and has worked with people with disabilities.

During a 2015 interview with C-SPAN, Graham said his sister's accomplishments represented the greatest achievement of his own life.

Speaking about Nordone, Graham said her success “is the highlight of it, by far.”

Former Graham campaign consultant Bob McAlister said the siblings' childhood experiences shaped Graham throughout his career.

“He grew up with nothing,” McAlister said.

“The back of the bar where he and his sister grew up was always kind of top of mind to him… And I think the way he and Darline grew up just had an indelible impact on him, and for some reason, it gave him the drive that he had to do what he did.”

McAlister added, “A lot of people have different ideas about Lindsey from what they’ve seen on TV and all that, but everything about him can be traced back to his boyhood, the way he grew up, the way he took care of his sister.”

Nordone also appeared in one of Graham’s 2014 Senate campaign advertisements while he sought a third term.

Reflecting on her brother’s commitment after the deaths of their parents, she said:

“He never let me down. Never. I don’t see how he did it, to take on the responsibility of raising a little sister.”

“That came from within for Lindsey,” she added.

Hours before McMaster announced the appointment, President Donald Trump revealed on social media that he had recommended Nordone for the interim Senate seat.

Trump described the selection as “a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

Nordone will now represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate until the newly elected senator takes office following the November election.

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