An HBCU alum is at the center of a developing political moment with national implications.
Darline Graham Nordone, who earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State in 2009, has emerged as the successor to the late Lindsey Graham, who died on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster officially appointed Graham Nordone on Monday afternoon to fill her brother’s U.S. Senate seat, setting the stage for her to serve through the remainder of the term, which runs until January 2027.
For Nordone, the moment is both personal and historic.
“It is such an honor,” she said Monday. “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him.”
A Lexington, South Carolina, resident, Nordone currently serves as a commissioner on the state’s Commission for the Blind
Graham Nordone’s South Carolina State connection
In a statement, South Carolina State officials acknowledged the university’s ties to the Graham family while offering condolences following the senator’s passing.
“On behalf of the South Carolina State University community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham,” the statement read. “Our university shares a personal connection with the Graham family through his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, who earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from SC State in fall 2009.”
University leaders also highlighted the late senator’s longstanding support for education and public service, noting his belief in higher education as a driver of opportunity and workforce development across the state.
“Sen. Graham understood that higher education is an investment in South Carolina’s future,” the statement continued. “His legacy of leadership, public service and dedication to South Carolina and the nation will endure.”
