For days, many Republicans believed South Carolina’s newest senator would simply serve out the remainder of her late brother’s term before stepping aside.
Now, new reports suggest that assumption may have been premature.
Sen. Darline Graham, who was sworn into the U.S. Senate earlier this week following the unexpected death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, is now considering running to keep the seat in the upcoming South Carolina special election, according to a person familiar with private discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
If she enters the race, it would mark a significant shift from what many Republicans initially believed would be a temporary appointment.
Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham to fill the vacancy after Lindsey Graham died Saturday, with President Donald Trump publicly backing the selection.
At the time, the appointment was widely viewed as a caretaker role that would allow voters to choose a permanent successor in a special election while ensuring Republicans maintained the seat in the interim.
However, Semafor first reported that Graham is now weighing a campaign for a full term.
The filing period for candidates in the Aug. 11 Republican primary opens Tuesday, giving potential candidates only a short window to decide whether to enter what is expected to become one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Several prominent Republicans are already considering bids, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Reps. Russell Fry, Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, businessman Mark Lynch and former Gov. Mark Sanford.
On Wednesday, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, appeared to welcome the possibility of Graham entering the race.
“Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start,” Scott told CBS News. “Why not her?”
A spokesperson for Graham did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding her reported interest in seeking a full term.
Not everyone within South Carolina Republican circles appears convinced that a campaign was part of the original plan.
South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick said his understanding was that Graham had agreed only to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term.
“My understanding is that she told Governor McMaster that she would accept the appointment to fill the rest of the term, not to be a candidate for it,” McKissick said.
If Graham ultimately enters the race, she would immediately become one of the highest-profile candidates in the field because of both her appointment and her family’s long association with South Carolina politics.
Her late brother served in the Senate for more than two decades and was one of President Trump’s closest allies in Congress, particularly on judicial nominations, national security and foreign policy.
Trump’s endorsement of Darline Graham for the temporary appointment has also fueled speculation that she could receive additional support from the president should she decide to seek a full term, though Trump has not publicly endorsed any candidate in the special election.
The Republican nominee will be heavily favored in the traditionally conservative state, making the GOP primary the contest likely to determine Lindsey Graham’s long-term successor.
For now, Darline Graham has not publicly announced whether she will run, Politico reported.
But with candidate filing set to begin in the coming days, South Carolina Republicans may soon learn whether the senator they expected to be a temporary caretaker intends to become a candidate in her own right.
