Darline Nordone has addressed the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and reacted after President Donald Trump floated the idea of her stepping into his Senate seat on an interim basis.
Graham’s office announced on Sunday, July 12, that the longtime South Carolina senator had died suddenly, bringing an end to a political career that spanned more than 20 years.
“On the evening of Saturday 11 July, US senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
The Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia indicated that the likely cause was an aortic dissection linked to Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, meaning he is believed to have suffered a ruptured aorta related to long-term heart disease.
Attention quickly turned to Graham’s final hours, with Trump revealing that he had spoken to the senator the night before his death.
During NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump said he had spoken with Graham on Saturday evening, July 11.
The president said that ‘other than being tired, he was fine’, and he believes Graham’s death was a ‘quick end, and maybe that’s not the worst way to go’.
Trump also paid tribute to Graham in a post after the news emerged.
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”
But despite his praise for the senator, his suggestion that Graham’s sister should temporarily take over the seat was not welcomed.
Trump said Graham’s ‘wonderful sister’ should serve as interim senator until a special election can be held to find a permanent replacement.
According to reports, Nordone is not interested in doing that.
“Actually, I’m just kind of like devastated right now.”
Trump had said of the proposal:
“This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”
Under South Carolina law, Gov. Henry McMaster can appoint an interim replacement, while the state must also move toward a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the term. A filing period for the special primary is expected to begin on July 21.
Reports have also suggested that Graham spent part of his final day talking about the work he still wanted to complete.
“I can’t die now,”
“I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,”
Those comments were reportedly made just hours before he had been due to appear on Meet the Press.
Emergency crews were reportedly called to the senator’s Capitol Hill home at about 8:30pm after receiving a report of someone suffering chest pains. He allegedly went into cardiac arrest around 30 minutes later and was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where he died.
Nordone has previously spoken publicly about their bond, shaped in part by the loss of their parents when they were both young.
“I was just a kid. I remembered that day Lindsey came running in and just grabbed me up and hugged me,”
“He’s always been there for me. No matter what.”