Updated July 14, 2026 — Darline Graham has now taken the oath of office, moving South Carolina's Senate transition from appointment to active representation.

Graham was sworn in Tuesday afternoon by Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chamber's most senior Republican, three days after the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. She will serve through the end of the current term in January and becomes the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

The new senator has not previously held elected office. Her official Senate biography lists a career in vocational rehabilitation and service on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. A separate special election process will determine the Republican nominee for the November election, so her temporary service does not decide who holds the seat next year.

For now, the appointment restores South Carolina's second Senate vote at a time of narrow margins and consequential debates over spending, foreign policy, and judicial nominations. Genuine Update will treat the temporary appointment and the election contest as distinct stories.

Source: U.S. Senate ↗

Source: Associated Press ↗