RIP Lindsey Graham... Will the Gov of SC make his choice to fill the open Senate seat before Wed?
52% of users predicted YES — the community got this one right. 33 predictions cast.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster named a replacement for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham before the question's Wednesday deadline. Graham, 71, died in mid-July 2026 of what was preliminarily diagnosed as a ruptured aorta linked to hardening of the arteries. On Monday, July 13, 2026, McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve the remainder of his term, which runs through early January. She became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate and was sworn in Tuesday afternoon.
President Trump said he had recommended Nordone for the seat, calling it "a fabulous tribute" to Graham. Under South Carolina law, candidates seeking the seat in their own right have a one-week filing window starting July 21 for a special primary election, expected in August, since Graham had been running for a fifth term this election cycle.
The community majority (52% predicted the governor would decide by Wednesday) correctly, if narrowly, anticipated McMaster would move quickly to fill the vacancy rather than delay the appointment process.