Lindsey Graham’s sister was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Filing runs today through July 28 for a Republican special primary on Aug. 11. The field is crowded, and Graham Nordone is all in.
In an appearance with Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel Monday night, Graham Nordone, as she announced her permanent candidacy, was unable to articulate meaningful qualifications beyond work experience in state government jobs.
Trump endorsed Graham Nordone for the special election before she officially announced her candidacy.
“I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina.”
Her experience does not include elected office of any kind.
Graham Nordone spent decades working in state government, mostly in leadership roles for agencies serving people with disabilities.
“I've been praying a lot, talking to my family, but with the love of my family, with the support of his staff … I know I'm a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey. He cared about the people of this state. I've worked for almost 30 years for the people of this state. I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely,” Graham Nordon told Hannity.
The 'say yes' candidate
Some see her campaign as a push by the establishment Republicans at the cost of South Carolina voters.
It’s a set-up, Matthew Williams, a Texas-based freelance writer and editor, said on American Family Radio Tuesday.
Graham Nordone has one job, he told show host Jenna Ellis.
“When we see the establishment and Sean Hannity and individuals like him giving her such praise, setting up all this money for her to run, what we're witnessing is a blank slate candidate who knows what her job is, which is to say yes to the establishment. It is to say yes to the donor class,” Williams said.
With funding from establishment Republicans, Graham Nordone’s task will be to read political tea leaves and respond to her backers to advance an agenda that does not serve South Carolinians or the rest of the country, Williams said.
Former GOP congressman turned podcaster, Bob Good of Virginia, said Graham Nordone has received the “predictable” endorsement of the president.
“Are there worse criteria than 1) family name, and 2) pledged unconditional and unconstitutional allegiance and obedience to the president?” he asked.
Early polling isn’t kind to Graham Nordone. She received just 6% in an Emerson College/Nexstar Meida poll released last week.
Other hopefuls include two sitting of South Carolina’s sitting U.S. House members, Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman (pictured above).
Rep. Nancy Mace (pictured at right) announced Monday that she will not seek the seat despite polling at 10%.
Norman led the poll at 16%, followed by businessman Mark Lynch, who previously lost to Lindsey Graham in the primary, at 13%.
Lt. Gov. Pam Evette collected 10%, Fry 9%.
Lindsey Graham won that June 9 primary decisively, avoiding a runoff with 56.8% of the vote. Lynch was a distant runner-up with 28.9%. Four other candidates who finished with less than 6% have not announced plans for the special election.
The staffing discussion
The margin is a strong endorsement for Graham Nordone’s brother.
“I understand Lindsey won his primary very handily, but I think the people are really looking for a choice that is not going to be someone who plays the establishment,” Williams said.
Though her polling numbers are not strong at the outset, Graham Nordone has the wild card of her brother’s Senate staff that could be a great benefit if she is savvy enough to navigate the likely ambition of some.
There are staffers that will be “pining and preying over her opinions and taking advantage of the pressure. I'm sure Darlene is aware of that to an extent. I'm not going to belittle her intelligence or anything like that,” Williams said.
