Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., announced on Monday that she will seek a full six-year term in the Senate following days of speculation on whether she would enter the race.
Graham, 62, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, revealed her decision during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“I’ve made a decision,” Graham said. “I’m in.”
Her announcement comes days after President Donald Trump publicly urged her to run, saying on Truth Social that she would have his “complete and total endorsement” if she entered the race.
Graham was appointed to the Senate earlier this month by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster following the death of her brother on July 11. Under state law, McMaster selected her to fill the late senator’s vacancy through the end of the current term, which ends in January. She was sworn into office on July 14, making her the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate.
Before his death, Lindsey Graham had already secured the Republican nomination in June for a potential fifth Senate term.
Graham explained she feels an “inner peace” about the decision encouraged by her family’s support.
“I’ve been praying a lot, talking to my family,” Graham said. “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.”
“Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely,” she told Hannity, adding serving in the Senate carries “a tremendous amount of pressure.”
Graham has never held elected office before being appointed to fill her brother’s seat. She has spent nearly three decades in state government and public service, including serving since 2019 as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. She previously held leadership roles at Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The Republican primary is already shaping up to be one of the state’s most closely watched contests. Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman have launched campaigns for the seat, while Rep. Nancy Mace has said she is considering a bid.
South Carolina election officials are set to open candidate filing Tuesday, with the filing period closing July 28. The Republican special primary is scheduled for August 11.
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