Who is Darline Graham Nordone, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister?

By — Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/who-is-darline-graham-nordone-the-late-sen-lindsey-grahams-sister Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Who is Darline Graham Nordone, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister? Politics Jul 13, 2026 6:44 PM EDT CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Darline Graham Nordone, who was appointed to serve the remaining months of the Senate term that her late brother, Lindsey Graham, left behind when he died over the weekend, hasn't been in office before. But through her brother's decades of public service, Nordone has been by his side, supporting him in speeches, appearances and even campaign ads. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Besides being a frequent attendee at Graham's political events, Nordone is woven deeply into her brother's personal and political biography. After both of their parents died in just over a year, Graham, then age 22, became legal guardian for his 13-year-old sister. READ MORE: Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta tear, preliminary medical exam finds Now, after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tapped Nordone to serve in Graham's seat until January, Nordone is heading to Washington, tasked with representing the interests for which her brother advocated with passion. A special primary held next month will sort out what Republican moves forward in the general election to face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. From brother to legal guardian, Graham raised his sister While Graham was in his early 20s, his life — and that of his sister — was turned upside down. Their mother died in 1976 after battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. Fifteen months later, his sister, then 13, discovered their father after he suffered a heart attack in his sleep and died. Graham was just beginning law school at the University of South Carolina. With both parents gone, he pivoted, saying that his chief goal was to ensure his sister was cared for. "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." Making regular treks from school in Columbia to Seneca, where his sister was being looked after by relatives, Graham kept tabs on his sister from then on and became her legal guardian. After he became a military lawyer in the Air Force, he adopted her, to ensure that she would receive his military benefits. Graham's bond with his sister was indelible Graham, who never married or had children of his own, once joked as he ran for president in 2016 that his sister could be among a "rotating" cast of White House hosts standing in as first lady. But the bond between the two, aside from being integral to Graham's own biog