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Lindsey Graham's sister appointed to his Senate seat

Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), will finish out Graham's term, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced Monday. Why it matters: Nordone will serve until Jan. 3, 2027, unless she chooses to run and wins the open Senate seat in November. Lindsey was running for re-election at the time of his death, and South Carolina will hold a special election next month to determine who replaces him as the Republican candidate on the ballot. What they're saying: "Today, under the law, it's my duty to and honor to name someone to serve in the place of ... this extraordinary man," McMaster told reporters at the South Carolina Statehouse on Monday. "Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed. It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now." Nordone was also President Trump's preferred pick. Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday that appointing her "would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly." Zoom in: Nordone told reporters that "Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him." "To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words, but I'm going to do this. I got it." Catch up quick: Lindsey considered Nordone to be his closest family member after both their parents died within 15 months of one another in the 1970s. Lindsey never married nor had any children, although he did adopt Darline after joining the military so she could access his military benefits. She has appeared by his side in numerous campaign ads and speaking engagements. Zoom out: Nordone has never held public office and previously worked to help people with disabilities find jobs. She is the mother of two. What we're watching: South Carolina Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman are reportedly planning to run for Graham's seat. Norman could announce as early as Tuesday, according to NOTUS. Others have passed on running for the seat. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) confirmed in a post

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Senate looks to honor Graham with Russia sanctions

Senators from both parties are rallying around a revised Russia sanctions package to honor the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Why it matters: Bipartisanship is in short supply in the Senate. Graham's sudden death may briefly revive it. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said passing the updated sanctions bill — which has 85 cosponsors — "would be a great tribute to the legacy of Lindsey." "I urge Senator Thune, in honor of Lindsey, to put the Russia sanctions bill on the floor immediately," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It will pass overwhelmingly and help our allies in Ukraine." "This would be a good way to show us in a bipartisan way coming together on something that he was literally using some of his last breaths to fight for," Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J) said. Driving the news: The mechanics of replacing Graham are moving quickly. At President Trump's urging, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve out the remainder of his term. Nordone will be sworn in at 2:30pm Tuesday. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is expected to take over as chair of the Budget Committee after Graham's death. Meanwhile, potential candidates are already jockeying to run for a full six-year term in the 2026 election. Zoom out: The Senate, on several occasions, has been close to advancing foreign policy legislation drafted by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). But then Trump would urge Republicans to hold off, giving his administration room to pursue its own pressure campaign against Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, late last week with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Graham and other senators emerged convinced they had resolved the administration's concerns. Graham briefed Trump on their progress in a Saturday night phone call. "We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions l

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