A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The sister that Lindsey Graham essentially raised after their parents died will finish his term in the U.S. Senate. South Carolina's governor appointed Darline Graham to his seat. Here's South Carolina Public Radio's Luis-Alfredo Garcia.
LUIS-ALFREDO GARCIA, BYLINE: A Graham will represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate until at least January 3, 2027. That's when Senator Lindsey Graham's term was set to end before he died Saturday. South Carolina's Republican governor, Henry McMaster, says he was humbled by just how quick Graham's sister, even between tears, decided she was ready to take on the role.
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HENRY MCMASTER: It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now.
GARCIA: McMaster said that he spoke with President Trump, who thought the pick was a great idea. Darline Graham has spent the last seven years as the head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. She doesn't have experience in an elected position like the one she was just appointed to, but she says she's ready to work hard and support the president.
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DARLINE GRAHAM: It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work. And 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.
GARCIA: Her brother was a divisive figure in and out of the state, but he was known locally for having great constituent services. He became Darline's legal guardian when she was just 13. It came after the pair's parents died just more than a year apart from each other. She says this appointment is what he would have wanted, and he supported her potential as a public figure in the past. In 2015, while running for president, C-SPAN asked what role his sister would play in his White House, noting that Graham was a bachelor. He said she would be a great support network for him.
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LINDSEY GRAHAM: I can't think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister. But at the end of the day, I think America can handle this. I want to be able to say everybody can grow up to be president, even if you're single. We'll see.
GARCIA: Graham ultimately suspended his campaign, and Trump went on to win the presidential election the following year. Right now, it's not known if Darline Graham will run for reelection after her six-month stint. The special Republican primary election is August 11. The winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election.
For NPR News, I'm Luis-Alfredo Garcia in Columbia, South Carolina.
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