A bitter fight is brewing within the Democratic Party as black and Hispanic leaders battle over which voting bloc should wield the greatest influence in choosing the party&#8217;s 2028 presidential nominee. 
The &#8220;racially fraught&#8221; debate, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/democrats-black-latino-feud-2028-primary">reported by Axios</a>, centers on whether South Carolina or Nevada should hold the first competitive Democratic presidential primary, a decision that could shape which of the party&#8217;s leftist contenders gain an early advantage in what is expected to be a crowded field.
Black voters have long been the Democratic Party&#8217;s most loyal constituency, while the party leaders are also eager to rebuild support among Hispanic voters after steep losses in 2024. According to Axios, Democratic leaders remain divided over which state should go first. 
Rev. Al Sharpton recently <a href="https://scdp.org/press-release/rev-al-sharpton-stripping-south-carolina-of-its-first-in-the-nation-primary-would-be-a-slap-in-the-face-to-black-voters/">blasted</a> chatter to strip South Carolina of its first-in-the-nation Democratic presidential primary, warning that doing so would betray the party&#8217;s most reliable voting bloc. 
“You don’t forget who showed up for you when nobody else would,” Sharpton said. “Black voters have shown up for the Democratic Party again and again.” 
“To turn around now and push South Carolina to the back of the line would be a slap in the face to the very voters who&#8217;ve kept this party alive,&#8221; Sharpton added. “This isn’t about one state’s ego. It’s a test of whether the Democratic Party actually means it when it says black voters are the backbone of this coalition, or whether that’s just something we say during election years and quietly walk back once the votes are counted.”
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain echoed that concern.
&#8220;If Nevada gets elevated over South Carolina, it would be because of their Latino vote. So you would then be telling black voters that you matter less than brown voters. And I refuse to believe that our party wants to send any type of message like that,&#8221; she told The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/us/politics/south-carolina-nevada-democrats-2028-presidential-calendar.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">New York Times.</a>
At the same time, a coalition of Latino groups has launched an 11th-hour campaign to move Nevada to the front of the presidential calendar, where nearly <a href="https://naleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1_23_24_-_NEF_Release_NV_Primary_Profile_-_FINAL.pdf">one in five</a> registered voters identifies as Latino, arguing the state better reflects the Democratic Party&#8217;s changing coalition. 
&#8220;The committee&#8217;s decision on which state will vote first in the 2028 Democratic presidential nominating process is a profound opportunity for the Democratic Party to better engage the voters who reflect the diversity of our nation, including Latinos,&#8221; the heads of Voto Latino and the Latino Victory Project wrote to the DNC, according to Axios. 
The Democratic Party&#8217;s shift away from Iowa and New Hampshire, which are overwhelmingly white, toward more diverse states like South Carolina and Nevada, marks the party&#8217;s continued embrace of identity politics. On Wednesday, a New Hampshire primary poll pointed to an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-2028-poll-just-shook-up-both-parties?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=A+New+2028+Poll+Just+Shook+Up+Both+Parties">early shake-up</a> in the 2028 presidential race, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a Hispanic, leading the Democratic field. 
Conservative political consultant Ryan Girdusky argued South Carolina would ultimately benefit establishment-backed candidates over far-Left figures.
“I’ve been saying this for months, they are going to pick South Carolina because black voters in the Deep South are going to reject a DSA-style candidate, and they’re not going to risk picking a Mamdani/AOC type,” Girdusky <a href="https://x.com/RyanGirdusky/status/2080273527559569551?s=20">warned</a> on X.

Kamala Harris, Al Sharpton

Black And Hispanic Democrats Whip Out The Knives Over Who Runs 2028

2028

2028 presidential election

Al Sharpton

Democrats

Gavin Newsom

Kamala Harris

Nevada

News

Politics

South Carolina

Measles, the world’s most infectious disease once declared eliminated, has made a comeback in the United States, ravaging states such as South Carolina, Florida, Utah, Virginia and Texas.
Multiple outbreaks occurred over the past year across the United States, costing millions in taxpayer money. South Carolina has<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html"> suffered</a> through 670 cases this year. Virginia has <a href="https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/">reported</a> 176 confirmed cases and eight hospitalizations, and the Texas Department of State Health Services has <a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vaccine-preventable-diseases/vaccine-preventable-disease-conditions/measles-rubeola/measles-rubeola/measles-rubeola-data">reported</a> a total of 182 cases as of July 15.
The airborne virus is notorious for spreading rapidly. Nine out of 10 people who come into close contact with a person infected with measles can come down with the illness if they are not protected, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/index.html">reports</a>. This makes the disease about five to six times more contagious than the common cold.
Three to four million Americans contracted the disease every year in the 1950s and 60s. However, Health officials declared measles eliminated in 2000 after 12 consecutive months without endemic transmission. 
However, resistance to taking vaccines has grown over the years. This is partly due to people refusing vaccines produced using cell lines originally derived from aborted fetal tissue obtained in the 1960s — <a href="https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccine-ingredients/fetal-tissues">such as</a> the rubella vaccine in the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Additionally, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10224336/">studies</a> have found that many parents remain concerned about a possible link between vaccines and autism.
As fewer people take the measles vaccine, more cases are popping up in the United States. Johns Hopkins University, which manages a <a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/resources/us-measles-tracker">tracker</a> for measles cases, reports that the number of cases for 2026 has reached 2,295 — the highest number of cases since 1991
“This is not simply the return of a childhood rash illness,” epidemiologist Dr. Syra Madad <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/22/health/us-hits-most-cases-of-worlds-most-contagious-disease-in-35-years/">told</a> the New York Post. “Measles can cause pneumonia, encephalitis, hospitalization and death, especially in young children and medically vulnerable people.”
Measles can also create the condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. This is a fatal neurological condition that causes inflammation and scarring of the brain, the National Institutes of Health <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560673/">reports</a>. This condition can take up to 20 years after a measles infection to develop. 
Prominent health officials in the Trump administration have called on all Americans to take the measles vaccine, especially after the 2025 measles outbreak.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/09/us-news/measles-outbreak-surges-in-us-as-dr-oz-begs-people-to-get-vaccinated/">told</a> Americans to “take the vaccine, please.”
“Not all illnesses are equally dangerous and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses,” Oz said on CNN&#8217;s “State of the Union.” “But measles is one you should get your vaccine [for].”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for being skeptical about the benefit of modern vaccines rolled out by Big Pharma, has urged parents to consult their doctors about vaccinating their children.
“The measles outbreak in Texas is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health,” Kennedy <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/robert-f-kennedy-jr-measles-outbreak-call-action-all-us?title=op-ed%20for%20Fox%20News">said</a> in an opinion piece last year. “By working together — parents, healthcare providers, community leaders, and government officials, we can prevent future outbreaks and protect the health of our nation.” 
“Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” Kennedy added.
This article has been updated to correct that South Carolina has reported 670 cases in 2026, not 997.

Screenshot 2026-07-22 at 2.35.02 PM

A Disease Once Thought Defeated Is Spreading Across America

The World’s Most Infectious Disease Is Making a Comeback in the United States

Florida

Measles

Mehmet Oz

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Texas

Utah

Vaccines

Virginia

Darline Graham Nordone said that she would focus on domestic issues as she announced her decision to run to succeed her late brother in the Senate.
Nordone, appointed last week to finish out Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) term, told Fox News host Sean Hannity during an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF6f0V_4Tao">interview</a> on Monday that she has decided to seek a full term in office. During the interview, Nordone said she would advocate for similar positions as her brother, but also suggested she would have a different focus.
“I&#8217;ve thought, and I prayed,” Nordone told Hannity. “He&#8217;s worked so hard for so long, I just, I can&#8217;t just let that die. I&#8217;ve got to step in and carry on his legacy. I know he cared about the people of South Carolina so deeply.”
Like her brother, Nordone said she would like to see Congress pass the Russia sanctions for which Graham had advocated before he died unexpectedly earlier this month. Doctors believe that Graham died of an aortic dissection related to underlying cardiovascular disease.
“I really wanted to push those across the finish line,” Nordone said of the sanctions.
Nordone, who works on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, also suggested that if elected in her own right, she would focus more on domestic issues than national security.
&#8220;I used to see him on the talk shows. I would watch him, and I&#8217;d be like, ‘Lindsey, are you just talking about national security all the time?,'&#8221; she said. &#8220;And I understand that&#8217;s important. Protecting our borders, national security, absolutely.&#8221;
&#8220;I said, ‘But talk about also what matters to the average person. The price of groceries, the price of gas, health care. Insurance, those kinds of things.’ That&#8217;s what I&#8217;m worried about,” Nordone added.
Nordone said she was still reeling from her brother’s shocking death.
“I&#8217;m just taking it day by day. I am not gonna lie. It&#8217;s been tough, extremely tough.  Lots of prayers, heartfelt messages from friends and family, colleagues really got me through this week,” she said. “It was like I was living a nightmare when I got the unexpected news. I was just, I can even tell you how devastated I was when I got that call.”
She didn’t have much time to process her thoughts before she was asked to finish out her brother’s term — and then encouraged to run in the special primary. The deadline to enter the race is July 28 and the special primary election is scheduled for August 11. Her decision to run came after President Donald Trump gave her his preemptive endorsement.
Several other Republicans have jumped into the special primary race, including Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry.

Darline Graham Nordone Is Ceremonially Sworn In To Take Her Brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate Seat

Lindsey Graham’s Sister Breaks From One Of His Defining Priorities

Darline Graham Nordone

Donald Trump

Lindsey Graham

Senate

Darline Graham Nordone’s appointment as interim U.S. Senator marks a historic milestone for South Carolina as she becomes the <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/2077104368218763573">first woman</a> and the first HBCU graduate to represent the state in the chamber.
U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC) highlighted the significance in a post on X, writing that her appointment “marks a significant milestone for our state” and that her accomplishment “will inspire generations of South Carolinians to believe that no barrier is beyond reach.”
The appointment came days after Republican Governor Henry McMaster picked Nordone, who graduated from South Carolina State University in 2009, to fill the remainder of her brother’s Senate term, which ends in January 2027. President Donald Trump recommended her for the role as a tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who had spoken highly of his sister in past interviews.
In an open letter <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/darline-graham-nordone-pens-emotional-open-letter-following-brothers-death?author=Leona+Salinas&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Darline+Graham+Nordone+Pens+Emotional+Open+Letter+Following+Brother%E2%80%99s+Death&amp;trueLinkId=2O%2FbAu5Q0JkRE%2FFz68BRk0GhxmF6NCE05bcQWkS5XAx9w2lMEr8lp8a4hj0xpCeVyLGqjIkO2odcD9pEp%2BbCNA%3D%3D&amp;trueLinkTs=1782495158&amp;trueLinkExpiry=43200">posted</a> to X on Saturday, Nordone reflected on the abrupt loss of her brother a week earlier. “If I could trade this moment and have Lindsey back, I would do so in a heartbeat. But I can’t,” she wrote. “Now, it’s time for me to step up for South Carolina, just like he stepped up for me when our parents died. In the most challenging of times, I’ve learned God often calls on ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”
Nordone mentioned that while she is not her brother, the two were raised with the same core values: work hard each day, trust in the Lord, remember your roots, and never forget who you work for. She pointed to her own career focused on helping South Carolinians with disabilities find employment and live independently as an example of that service.
Supporters, including members of Graham’s former staff and fellow South Carolina officials, have praised her background in state government and workforce development. During an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-darline-graham-nordone-south-carolinas-likely-next-senator">emotional public appearance</a> after accepting the appointment, she stated, “Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him.”

US-POLITICS-CONGRESS-GRAHAM

HISTORIC: Lindsey Graham’s Sister Becomes First HBCU Grad To Represent South Carolina In Senate

James Clyburn

Media

South Carolina’s newly appointed interim U.S. Senator Darline Graham Nordone <a href="https://x.com/darlinegrahamsc/status/2078593464053166332?s=46&amp;t=5nB3R1hthzMlYMrXjZyN8Q">addressed</a> the people of her state in an open letter posted to X on Saturday, reflecting on the sudden loss of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, and her commitment to stepping into the role.
Nordone began the letter by addressing her brother&#8217;s death a week before, writing, &#8220;Dear Fellow South Carolinians, I never imagined I would be speaking to you under these circumstances.&#8221;
&#8220;If I could trade this moment and have Lindsey back, I would do so in a heartbeat,&#8221; she continued.
Darline Graham expressed gratitude for the support her family has received. “I have been amazed and appreciative of the outpouring of love and support from the people of South Carolina,” she said. “I always knew Lindsey was an amazing person, but I have been overwhelmed by how many people truly loved him and how many lives he touched.”
The letter highlighted Lindsey Graham’s lifelong dedication to South Carolina and the nation and also described Nordone&#8217;s decision to accept the appointment as a continuation of family values instilled in them from an early age.
“Lindsey dedicated his life to serving South Carolina and defending our nation. He accomplished so much, yet he still had so many big ideas that he was determined to see through,” she wrote, adding, “Now, it’s time for me to step up for South Carolina, just like he stepped up for me when our parents died. In the most challenging of times, I’ve learned God often calls on ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”
She acknowledged that she brings her own approach to public service. “Yet I am not Lindsey. I have my own way of doing things. But we were raised with the same values: work hard each day, trust in the Lord, remember your roots, and never forget who you work for.”
She cited her career focused on helping South Carolinians with disabilities find employment and live independently as an example of that service.
The open letter also thanked Lindsey Graham’s staff for their work during a difficult period. “On behalf of my family and Lindsey’s staff — who have worked tirelessly through their own grief while continuing to serve the people — thank you.”
She concluded by asking for prayers: “I did not seek this moment. But it’s here. Now, I’m asking for your prayers. God Bless.&#8221;
The letter comes days after South Carolina Republican Governor Henry McMaster appointed Nordone to fill the remainder of her brother’s Senate term after she was recommended by President Donald Trump, saying it would be a fitting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsey-grahams-sister-named-interim-senator-she-accepted-through-tears?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Lindsey+Graham%E2%80%99s+Sister+Named+Interim+Senator+%E2%80%94+She+Accepted+Through+Tears">tribute</a> to Lindsey Graham, who had spoken highly of his sister in past interviews. She accepted the position in an emotional public appearance. 
“Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him,” she said last week.
Supporters, including members of Graham’s former staff and fellow South Carolina officials, praised her background in state government, workforce development, and her personal character. With her appointment, Nordone became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. She will serve out the remainder of her brother&#8217;s term, which ends in January 2027.

Senator Lindsey Graham Makes Announcement On Presidential Run

Darline Graham Nordone Pens Emotional Open Letter Following Brother’s Death

U.S. Senate

South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed Darline Graham Nordone — sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — to serve the remainder of her brother&#8217;s Senate term.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 IT&#8217;S OFFICIAL: Lindsey Graham&#8217;s sister Darline Graham Nordone officially named interim US Senator from South Carolina after her brother&#8217;s passing
She just walked up to the podium to accept it 🇺🇸
&#8220;Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/YA3YXbOycK">pic.twitter.com/YA3YXbOycK</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2076761308146397471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Darline — little sister — come here please,&#8221; McMaster invited Nordone up to speak.
&#8220;First, I would like to thank everyone who has called and reached out over the past couple of days. I can&#8217;t tell you how much it&#8217;s meant to me and our family,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I know Lindsey was loved and respected by many and I greatly appreciate the memories and even the funny stories that have been shared. These shared experiences and our faith have gotten us through these two very difficult days.&#8221;
Thanking McMaster for selecting her to serve out the remainder of Graham&#8217;s term — &#8220;an honor&#8221; — she added, &#8220;Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him.&#8221;
Nordone&#8217;s name was first floated on Monday morning when President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he believed she would be the right person to fill the vacancy — and that appointing her would be a good way for McMaster to honor Graham&#8217;s legacy.
&#8220;I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!&#8221; the president wrote.
Following Trump&#8217;s recommendation, the odds on Kalshi that Nordone would be named Graham&#8217;s successor skyrocketed, leaping from 15% at 9:37 a.m. to 94.7% just 17 minutes later. The odds of her being appointed to fill her brother&#8217;s seat were at 97% by 2:00 p.m. The two names making up the remaining 3% were Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette (R-SC) and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC).
Indeed, Graham himself said in a 2015 interview that he could think of no one better to &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-recommends-replacement-for-lindsey-graham">represent</a>&#8221; the people of the United States than his little sister. When asked at the beginning of his presidential run about being single, Graham joked that his sister could take on some of the roles typically handled by a first lady.
&#8220;If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can’t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister,&#8221; he said at the time.
A number of others have voiced their support for Nordone&#8217;s potential appointment, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). Kevin Bishop, who served as communications director for the late South Carolina senator, also said that Nordone would be a great choice.
&#8220;I know Lindsey would be beaming with pride and appreciation if his sister was the one to fill the final few months of his term. He loved her dearly,&#8221; Bishop wrote. &#8220;Darline is accomplished in her own right. She has years of experience in state government leadership. She&#8217;s also a certified optician with a long record supporting government programs for the blind and workforce development.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve known Darline for years. She&#8217;s a wonderful leader, mother, and grandmother. She&#8217;s a first-class person who would represent South Carolina with dignity and honor,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I could not think of a better or more fitting choice. I&#8217;m sure Governor McMaster will give her every consideration and greatly appreciate President Trump and his team for mentioning her as a possible replacement. I certainly hope this happens.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump is right that Darline Graham would be a great choice to fill the remainder of Lindsey&#8217;s term in the US Senate.
I know Lindsey would be beaming with pride and appreciation if his sister was the one to fill the final few months of his term. He loved her dearly.…
— Kevin Bishop (@KevinDBishop) <a href="https://x.com/KevinDBishop/status/2076724545168261125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Her appointment alone makes history, because once she is sworn in, Nordone will be the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

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Lindsey Graham’s Sister Named Interim Senator — She Accepted Through Tears

President Donald Trump waded into South Carolina politics on Monday, suggesting to Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) that he appoint Darline Graham Nordone to finish the current term for her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), after his sudden death over the weekend.
Just hours later, at a Monday afternoon press conference, McMaster agreed that appointing Nordone was &#8220;a good idea.&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsey-grahams-sister-named-interim-senator-she-accepted-through-tears">Nordone</a>, surrounded by South Carolina lawmakers, accepted the appointment through her tears and said that after years of her brother taking care of her, she was honored to have the chance to be there for him.
There is precedent for what&#8217;s commonly known as &#8220;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2022/05/widow-running-office-congress/">widow succession</a>&#8221; in American politics — a phenomenon that has propelled dozens of women into seats in both the House and Senate since 1922 — and Nordone, though Graham&#8217;s sister rather than his wife, is the late senator&#8217;s closest living relative.
Graham and Nordone were <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/us/lindsey-graham-sister-darline-nordone.html">always close</a>, she said in a campaign video years ago. She recalled her parents being truly kind people who loved them both, but said that Lindsey was always the one who stepped in to take care of her. He took care of her when she was sick, made sure she was keeping up with her homework, and even taught her to ride her first bicycle.
Both of their parents died within months of each other around the time Lindsey Graham turned 22. Without hesitation, he stepped up to help raise his little sister. While finishing college and then law school, he spent his weekends at home with Nordone, where she was living with an aunt and uncle. When he joined the U.S. Air Force, he made sure that she finished high school and went to college — and officially adopted her so that she could receive military benefits and insurance.
Nordone recalled feeling the weight of being orphaned at just 13 years old: &#8220;[Lindsey] was like ‘I am so sorry, but it’s going to be OK. I’m going to take care of you.&#8217; And he did. He’s always been there for me, no matter what.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The shoes Lindsey Graham leaves behind will be incredibly 
difficult to fill. His legacy is irreplaceable.🕊️🇺🇸💫
There is so much more to a person behind the public figure. 
Here exists the human story.
𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 〜… <a href="https://t.co/t1oLelRLDj">pic.twitter.com/t1oLelRLDj</a>
— April Color (@ColorApril) <a href="https://x.com/ColorApril/status/2076652854710874582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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When Graham launched his political career, Nordone always stood by her brother&#8217;s side. She made the case for him in South Carolina, telling constituents that her big brother wanted to take care of them — and the way he had taken care of her was a perfect example of that.
In January of 2015, Nordone held the Bible while her brother was sworn in by then-Vice President Joe Biden for his third term in the Senate. Biden joked at the time that he and Graham had &#8220;something in common: sisters who are brighter and better looking than we are.&#8221;
Graham sparked laughs around the room when he introduced his niece, Nicole, to Biden, saying, &#8220;He&#8217;s a good man, even though he&#8217;s a Democrat.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
January 6, 2015 &#8212; Darline Graham Nordone holds the Bible for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during ceremonial swearing-in with Vice President Joe Biden. <a href="https://t.co/8vB3IvD14z">pic.twitter.com/8vB3IvD14z</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2076728275414479060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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When Lindsey Graham announced his run for the White House in 2015, Nordone introduced him.
They were close enough that Graham once joked that Nordone would have to be his First Lady — and in a 2015 C-Span interview, he declared her to be the single greatest accomplishment of his life: &#8220;Of all the things that have happened in my life, her turning out so well is the highlight of it by far.&#8221;
&#8220;He’s kind of like a brother, a father, and a mother rolled into one,&#8221; Nordone said of her brother — and suggested that the sacrifices he made to care for her might ultimately have been part of the reason he never married. &#8220;He was a young man taking on a young girl and teenager to raise. He was just dedicating all of that time to raising me and going to school and trying to get an education. There’s just only so much time in a day.&#8221;
Nordone, whose professional life involved helping people with disabilities find jobs, never ventured into politics herself — but always had that world in her peripheral vision because of her close ties to her brother. She made campaign ads and stumped for Graham around South Carolina and at the Iowa State Fair.
Nordone certainly took a very different path than her brother, eventually becoming director of public information for the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department and then working as a commissioner for the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, which assists state residents who are blind or visually impaired. Still, Graham said in a 2015 interview that there would be no one better, in his mind, to represent the country if it came to that.
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From 2015 interview with C-SPAN, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on his sister Darline Graham Nordone: &#8220;If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can&#8217;t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/SjkwIV2TAH">pic.twitter.com/SjkwIV2TAH</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2076693824454463567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If she took a role on, she would be a great representative of our country. I can&#8217;t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister,&#8221; he declared.

Sen. Lindsey Graham at the Iowa State Fair

Who Is Darline Graham Nordone, South Carolina’s Next Senator?

Who Is Darline Graham Nordone, The Next Senator From South Carolina?

President Donald Trump reflected Monday on the loss of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), telling the hosts of &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; that he never doubted Graham was there &#8220;because he loved our country.&#8221;
But when it came time for Trump to reveal what he believed was Graham&#8217;s most &#8220;legendary&#8221; moment, there was only one moment that made sense: Graham&#8217;s passionate and unwavering defense of Supreme Court Justice <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flashback-the-lindsey-graham-speech-that-turned-the-tide-for-brett-kavanaugh">Brett Kavanaugh</a> during his confirmation hearings.
&#8220;[Graham] got angry, like he did in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, it was so impactful,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I think it saved &#8230; Brett becoming a Justice. You know, it was just a moment in time when the Democrats got so sick and so angry and so crazy, and they were going to do something very bad.&#8221;
&#8220;And Lindsey went on his tirade, and — it was much more than a tirade — but I think it was one of the great 10 moments of Congress, if you want to know the truth,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I said that was one of the 10 greatest moments in Congress, and I think you wouldn&#8217;t find 10 other cases where somebody did what he was able to do there. He saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision — they would have turned a man down who was so qualified and such a good man.&#8221;
Graham, who was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, used his time to defend Kavanaugh — but also to publicly chastise the Senate Democrats who&#8217;d used underhanded tactics to destroy the man and to issue a warning to any Senate Republicans who might have been swayed by their efforts.
After getting Kavanaugh to acknowledge that he and his family had been dragged through &#8220;hell&#8221; when he should have been facing a job interview, Graham laid into Democrats: &#8220;Boy, y&#8217;all want power. God, I hope you never get it!&#8221;
Trump also reflected on his personal friendship with Graham in several interviews and social media posts, announcing on Sunday that all flags across the United States should be lowered to half-staff until Saturday in Graham&#8217;s honor.

President Trump Returns To The  White House After Spending Holidays In Florida

Trump Reflects On Lindsey Graham’s Most ‘Legendary’ Moment

Trump Reflects On Lindsey Graham's Legacy

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he believes the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would be best honored if his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, were to be appointed to serve out the remainder of his term in the U.S. Senate.
Graham died late Saturday night after what his office called a &#8220;brief and sudden illness&#8221; — and what the Washington, D.C., Medical Examiner&#8217;s Office later said was an aortic dissection. Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) is now charged with appointing someone to replace him for the rest of his current term, which ends in January 2027. An announcement is expected on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.
&#8220;I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,&#8221; Trump posted Monday on his Truth Social platform. &#8220;This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!&#8221;
President Trump is not alone in his thinking, either. Graham&#8217;s fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, also a Republican, voiced his support for Darline serving out her brother&#8217;s remaining days in the Senate.
&#8220;Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the senate term. After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country,&#8221; he posted on Monday.
And even Graham himself suggested in a decade-old interview that Darline would be a great choice to serve in such a role.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
From 2015 interview with C-SPAN, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on his sister Darline Graham Nordone: &#8220;If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can&#8217;t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/SjkwIV2TAH">pic.twitter.com/SjkwIV2TAH</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2076693824454463567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can&#8217;t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister,&#8221; he said.
Graham and his sister have always been close. After losing both parents to illness when he was just 22 years old, Graham took over the role of raising Darline — who was just 13 years old at the time — and making sure that she got through school as well. After he graduated from law school, he legally adopted Darline so that she could receive benefits and insurance while he was serving in the United States Air Force.
In an old campaign ad for the senator, Darline described her childhood and said that even before her parents passed away, &#8220;Lindsey was always the one that took care of me.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;Darline&#8221; &#8212;
One of several TV spots over the years that featured Lindsey Graham&#8217;s sister
Produced by Graham&#8217;s longtime media consultant Scotty Howell <a href="https://t.co/o1SFKcE7bd">pic.twitter.com/o1SFKcE7bd</a>
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) <a href="https://x.com/MediumBuying/status/2076461873394823302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
She recalled him helping her finish homework, teaching her to ride her first bicycle, and even caring for her when she was sick.
&#8220;It was hard when we lost my mom and my dad, but Lindsey assured me that he was going to take care of me and he was going to be there for me,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And he did. He never let me down &#8230; He made sure I went to college. To take on that responsibility of raising a little sister, that came from within for Lindsey — and he did a good job.&#8221;
Throughout his political career — from his first days in Congress to his 2016 presidential run — Darline was by his side.
&#8220;Actually, I’m just kind of like devastated right now,&#8221; Darline told The New York Post in a brief phone call on Monday.

Trump Recommends Replacement For Lindsey Graham

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the Republican Party&#8217;s most influential voices on national security and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has died at 71 after what his office described as a &#8220;brief and sudden illness.&#8221;
&#8220;On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. 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,&#8221; his office said in a statement posted on social media.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Dead at 71" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j-3WDT67ffo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
A cause of death has not yet been released, though emergency responders were reportedly dispatched to Graham&#8217;s Capitol Hill home for a cardiac arrest.
Graham, who had served in the Senate since 2003, was one of the Republican Party’s most influential voices on national security and foreign policy. He was seeking a fifth term in office after winning his Republican primary last month. During his tenure, he served on several powerful Senate committees, including Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works. Before joining the Senate, Graham represented South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, Graham retired as a colonel in 2015 after 33 years of military service. His military career included deployments during the Gulf War as well as service connected to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Graham&#8217;s tenure in the U.S. Senate included a brief stint as the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, during which he presided over the tempestuous series of hearings that ultimately propelled Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to his seat on the high court.
Graham’s early life was marked by personal tragedy. While attending the University of South Carolina at age 21, his mother, Millie Graham, died of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Fifteen months later, his father, F.J. Graham, died of a heart attack.
The deaths left Graham responsible for raising his younger sister, Darline, who was 13 years old and nine years his junior. After entering the Air Force, Graham legally adopted his sister so she could receive military dependent benefits and health insurance.
Graham remained active in foreign affairs until his death and was in Ukraine on Friday meeting with Zelenskyy, one of ten visits he made to the country since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy said the two leaders had met twice in the past week and noted that Graham had recently been working on sanctions legislation targeting Russia.
“America and the world have lost a determined leader,” Zelenskyy wrote. “He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed.”
The senator remained a frequent target of America’s adversaries because of his hawkish foreign-policy positions. During funeral events this month for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attendees carried posters calling for Graham’s death. Graham later <a href="https://x.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/2074201227332563316">shared a photo</a> of the signs on X, joking, “At least they used a good photo of me. Judge me by my enemies.”
President Donald Trump announced Graham’s death in a statement on Truth Social.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!” Trump wrote.
Once a sharp critic of Trump during the 2016 Republican primary, Graham later became one of the president&#8217;s closest allies and most trusted voices on national security and foreign affairs.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1133141 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-12-at-4.03.34-AM-700x576.png" alt="" width="700" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-12-at-4.03.34-AM-700x576.png 700w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-12-at-4.03.34-AM-300x247.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-12-at-4.03.34-AM-768x632.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-12-at-4.03.34-AM.png 1098w" sizes=" (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></div>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Graham as one of Israel’s strongest allies in Washington.
“Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said. “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”
Graham had been scheduled to appear Sunday morning on NBC’s Meet the Press in what would have been his 64th appearance on the program. Instead, according to the network, Trump and Netanyahu were set to join the broadcast to reflect on Graham’s life and legacy.
His death creates a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is responsible for appointing a replacement until a special election is held.
McMaster said he was “devastated” by the news.
“Peggy and I – and our children – are devastated,” McMaster said in a statement. “Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America – and a loyal and steadfast friend.”
This is a breaking story. Stay with the Daily Wire for updates.

Lindsay Graham

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham Dead At 71 After Brief Illness

South Carolina Republicans on Tuesday selected state Attorney General Alan Wilson as their GOP nominee to lead the nation’s fastest-growing state.
<a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-06-23/south-carolina-governor-republican-runoff">With votes rolling in</a>, Wilson leads Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette with about 65% of the vote. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 7:22 p.m. ET. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Decision Desk HQ projects Alan Wilson wins the SC Governor Republican Runoff<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DecisionMade?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DecisionMade</a>: 7:22 PM EDT <a href="https://t.co/i9CUeJWTTk">pic.twitter.com/i9CUeJWTTk</a>
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2069561968449475055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
On June 9, Evette and Wilson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backed-candidate-advances-in-south-carolina-governor-primary?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=35&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump-Backed+Candidate+Advances+In+South+Carolina+Governor+Primary">advanced to a runoff</a> after neither candidate surpassed the 50% threshold. President Trump initially endorsed Evette ahead of the primary, but after she secured just 29% of the vote, he backed both candidates four days before the runoff.
“There are two Highly Respected Candidates running to be your next Governor in the June 23rd Republican Runoff Election,” Trump said Friday on Truth Social. “ Both have had amazing careers, and have been with me from the beginning. They are MAGA and America First all the way!” 
“These were the two that I was hoping would get into a Runoff, and they did. I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson! It’s a Wealth of Riches – With either one you can’t go wrong,” he added. 
The 11th-hour endorsement provided a boost to Wilson’s campaign, who touted his MAGA credentials ahead of the vote. 
“As South Carolina’s Attorney General, I have been proud to stand with him,” <a href="https://x.com/agalanwilson/status/2068081430522147094?s=46">Wilson wrote on X</a>. “And I never backed down. When President Trump needed fighters, I was in the fight.”
The dual endorsement handicapped Evette’s key argument that she was the only MAGA-backed candidate in the race. Her campaign attack ads accused Wilson of not being sufficiently loyal to Trump, <a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2026/06/19/trump-backs-alan-wilson-too-in-sc-governors-race-you-cant-go-wrong/">according to a local outlet. </a>
Seven Republicans competed to replace Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, including Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, U.S. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, State Senator Josh Kimbrell, and businessman Rom Reddy. 
Trump’s endorsement of Evette effectively sidelined Congresswoman Mace from the race, who chalked up the decision as political retaliation. 
“I knew it was on the line when I voted to release the Epstein files, and I’m a survivor, but if the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those files, I would never, I would never pay it,” <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2063582903037030428?s=20">Mace told Fox News</a>. “So I knew it was on the line, and I disagree with this endorsement, and I’m going to vote for myself.” 
If elected, Wilson will face myriad challenges, including <a href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SC_IRC_2021-Report-9-7-2021_Reduced-Size.pdf?_gl=1*b7us0p*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzM3OTk4ODU0LjE3ODA5NTE5NzM.*_ga_C9EX6BGYX5*czE3ODA5NTE5NzEkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODA5NTE5NzEkajYwJGwwJGgw">outdated infrastructure</a>, a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10767419/">strained healthcare system,</a> and <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina">lagging educational outcomes</a>. 
Still, people across the country continue to pack up their lives and move to the Palmetto State in record numbers. Between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, South Carolina’s population grew by 1.5 percent — faster than any other state—according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Overall, South Carolina’s population continues to grow rapidly, largely as a result of migration from other states—though growth has slowed since its pandemic-era peak, when the expansion of remote work along with elevated labor market turnover led to unusually high rates of relocation across the country,” <a href="https://dew.sc.gov/labor-market-information-blog/2026-02/south-carolina-records-fastest-population-growth-country">South Carolina’s Department of Employment said in a report</a>.
Going into November, the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/senate/race/488671">Cook Political Report</a> ranks both the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races as solid Republican.

trump_southcarolina

Trump Dual Endorsement Shakes Up South Carolina GOP Nomination

South Carolina Republicans headed to the polls Tuesday to choose their party’s nominee to lead the fastest-growing state in the nation.
<a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-06-09/south-carolina-governor-republican-primary">With 41% of the vote counted</a>, Trump-endorsed candidate Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette leads the crowded field with 29% of the vote, followed by Attorney General Alan Wilson’s 26% vote share. With no candidates passing the 50% threshold, Evette and Wilson are projected to face off again in a June 23 runoff. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8:26 p.m. ET. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Decision Desk HQ projects Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson advance in SC Governor Republican Primary<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DecisionMade?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DecisionMade</a>: 8:26 PM EDT <a href="https://t.co/BoDlI7JwSb">pic.twitter.com/BoDlI7JwSb</a>
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2064505105697669179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
Seven Republicans competed to replace Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, including Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, U.S. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, State Senator Josh Kimbrell, and businessman Rom Reddy. 
<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/republican-primary/2026/south-carolina">Polling showed a tight race</a> with a large share of undecided voters. Kimbrell, who consistently polled in the single digits, <a href="https://www.wyff4.com/article/state-senator-josh-kimbrell-drops-from-sc-governors-race/71488701">dropped out</a> of the race this week
The results offer the latest sign of President Trump’s endorsement power, who recently intervened in the wide-open race.  
“Highly Respected and very popular Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Pam Evette, is an America First Patriot who has been with me from the very beginning. She never wavered, never let me down, and was the only South Carolina Gubernatorial Candidate to Endorse me as soon as I launched my 2024 Presidential Campaign,” Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116660051960105935">May 29 Truth Social Post</a>. 
“Pam Evette is a good friend, fighter, and WINNER, and will be a terrific Governor of South Carolina. Pam has my Complete and Total Endorsement — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump’s endorsement appeared to blindside other Republicans in the race, including Congresswoman Mace, who chalked up the decision as political retaliation. 
“I knew it was on the line when I voted to release the Epstein files, and I&#8217;m a survivor, but if the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those files, I would never, I would never pay it,” <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2063582903037030428?s=20">Mace told Fox</a>. “So I knew it was on the line, and I disagree with this endorsement, and I&#8217;m going to vote for myself.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Rep. Nancy Mace tells Fox News Digital that she believes President Trump refused to endorse her in South Carolina&#8217;s gubernatorial race because of her vote in Congress to push for the release of the Epstein files.
&#8220;If the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those… <a href="https://t.co/pVQgg1vFfA">pic.twitter.com/pVQgg1vFfA</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2063582903037030428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
GOP frontrunner Evette pushed back on that characterization. 
“Congresswoman Mace has crossed the President many times we have seen since her time in DC,” Evette said in an interview. “She probably has a list of reasons why she was not on President Trump&#8217;s list of people he felt earned and deserved his endorsement.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW: <a href="https://x.com/PamelaEvette?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PamelaEvette</a> responds to <a href="https://x.com/NancyMace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NancyMace</a>&#8216;s claim that her push to release the Epstein files cost her Trump&#8217;s endorsement.
&#8220;Mace has crossed the President many times&#8230; She probably has a list of reasons why she was not on President Trump&#8217;s list.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/vR9is8BHkI">https://t.co/vR9is8BHkI</a> <a href="https://t.co/v8XB4MAln1">pic.twitter.com/v8XB4MAln1</a>
— Ryan Schmelz (@RyanSchmelzFOX) <a href="https://x.com/RyanSchmelzFOX/status/2063709036046877046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
The next governor faces myriad challenges, including <a href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SC_IRC_2021-Report-9-7-2021_Reduced-Size.pdf?_gl=1*b7us0p*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzM3OTk4ODU0LjE3ODA5NTE5NzM.*_ga_C9EX6BGYX5*czE3ODA5NTE5NzEkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODA5NTE5NzEkajYwJGwwJGgw">outdated infrastructure</a>, a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10767419/">strained healthcare system,</a> and <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina">lagging educational outcomes</a>. 
Still, people across the country continue to pack up their lives and move to the Palmetto State in record numbers. Between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, South Carolina’s population grew by 1.5 percent — faster than any other state—according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Overall, South Carolina’s population continues to grow rapidly, largely as a result of migration from other states—though growth has slowed since its pandemic-era peak, when the expansion of remote work along with elevated labor market turnover led to unusually high rates of relocation across the country,” <a href="https://dew.sc.gov/labor-market-information-blog/2026-02/south-carolina-records-fastest-population-growth-country">South Carolina’s Department of Employment said in a report</a>.
The state also held Senate and congressional primaries. <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2064500793470779631?s=20">Voters renominated</a> Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally seeking his fifth term, who has faced increasing criticism over his interventionist foreign policy views.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Decision Desk HQ projects Lindsey Graham wins the SC US Senate Republican Primary<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DecisionMade?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DecisionMade</a>: 8:10 PM EDT <a href="https://t.co/9ct87yBqvz">pic.twitter.com/9ct87yBqvz</a>
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2064500793470779631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
On Monday night. Trump made an 11th-hour push for Graham and Evette. 
“I will be doing a TeleRally LIVE at 5:30 P.M. EST for Senator Lindsey Graham and South Carolina Gubernatorial Candidate Pamela Evette — Both have my Complete and Total Endorsement,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116716568733590358">he said on Truth Social.</a> They will never let you down! Vote for Lindsey and Pam. They LOVE the great people of South Carolina, and so do I!!! 
Going into November, the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/senate/race/488671">Cook Political Report</a> ranks both the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races as solid Republican.

Trump-Backed Candidate Advances In South Carolina Governor Primary

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