Darline Graham will replace her late brother as the GOP candidate for Senate in South Carolina after defeating Rep. Ralph Norman in the Aug. 25 runoff election.
The Republican senator from South Carolina took over her brother Lindsey Graham's seat after he unexpectedly died on July 11 and will compete in November for a full term.
Graham had the support of President Donald Trump, who in his final pitch the night before urged supporters to back her, saying she "fully supports the Trump agenda."
"I asked her to do it. I got her into this whole thing," Trump had said during a 20-minute tele-rally on the eve of the runoff, referencing his efforts to personally recruit her to run for the seat despite her lack of experience in public office. "I have to make
sure she gets in because there will be nobody better."
Graham ran against Rep. Ralph Norman in the race to replace her deceased brother as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina after they were the two top finishers in an July primary. He brother had previously been nominated in June.
She was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster and is likely to cruise through the heavily Republican state's general election in November.
While Graham has never held any political office previously, she helped and stood by her brother during his campaigns over the years. She now has the chance to be the first woman elected from South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
Graham now faces Charleston Democrat Annie Andrews in the November midterms, where she is favored. Sabato's Crystal Ball and Cook Political Report both place the race in their most favorable category for Republicans.
Here's what you need to know about Darline Graham.
Darline Graham age, hometown
Graham was born on June 12, 1964, making her 62. She is nine years younger than her brother, who died at 71.
She grew up in Central, in the Midlands of South Carolina, with her brother and parents, who owned a pool hall, bar, and restaurant.
The two faced hardship early on after their parents' deaths within a year of one another. Their mother died in 1976 of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and 15 months later, their father died of a heart attack, USA TODAY previously reported.
She was 13 years old when her father died, and Lindsey Graham raised his sister after their death. In a 2015 interview with The New York Times, Graham described her brother as "kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one."
Darline Graham husband, family
Unlike her brother, who never married, Graham is married to Larry Nordone and has two daughters.
Darline Graham education
Graham holds a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, and is a Certified Public Manager.
Darline Graham has had a career in disability services
Before actively taking part in politics, Graham worked in disability services and workforce development, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
She began her career as a certified optician, working directly with people on eye-care needs before moving into state government. She later held positions at Clemson University and with the state employment department before joining the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department.
During 12 years with the Vocational Rehabilitation Department, Graham served as the business services director and communications director, according to the biography. She currently serves on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.
She also served as a commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind for nearly seven years, where she focused on helping blind and low-vision people achieve employment, independence and economic self-sufficiency.
She is 'not that informed' on national security
Graham, at the South Carolina Republican Party debate, had said she's not "that informed on national security," though she does support the military.
The senator made the comments while responding to a question on whether Taiwan and the South China Sea were national security issues for the U.S. at the debate on Aug. 18.
"I’m just going to be honest here," Graham said during the debate. "I’m … not that informed on national security, so — but I do support the military."
She reiterated: "I'm not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military."
Lindsey Graham was among the Republican Party's most prominent hawkish voices on foreign policy. During more than two decades in Congress, he championed global U.S. military interventions, sanctions and alliances.
Later, she addressed her lack of political experience during the tele-town hall, framing it as a strength and saying she's actually "a little bit tougher" than her late brother on illegal immigration.
"Now the critics say I shouldn't run for the Senate. They say I'm not a politician," Graham said. "I say, guilty as charged. And by the way, President Trump had never served in an elected office before, and I think he's done a darn good job."
Contributing: James Powel, Terry Collins, Thao Nguyen – USA TODAY; Bella Carpentier – Greenville News
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about Darline Graham, the South Carolina GOP Senate nominee
