Lindsey Graham's Sister Picked To Complete His Senate Term

Summary

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Podcast Summary: What A Day

Episode Title: Lindsey Graham's Sister Picked To Complete His Senate Term
Date: July 13, 2026
Host: Jane Costen
Guest: Matt Visor, Staff Writer at The Atlantic

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Main Theme

This episode examines the sudden passing of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham at age 71, his complex political legacy, and the implications of Governor Henry McMaster nominating Graham’s sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, as interim Senator. Host Jane Costen and guest Matt Visor break down the fallout for the Senate GOP, U.S. foreign policy, and the pending battle to fill Graham's seat.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Political Climate and Graham’s Impact

• Graham as Senate Bridge-Builder
  Matt Visor notes Graham's unique position:

  "President Trump's relationship with the Senate Republican Caucus is not good... Lindsey Graham was one of the conciliatory members who could kind of keep everybody on board." [00:00, 11:55]

• The Challenge Graham’s Death Presents

  • Senate GOP was already constrained with a slim majority
  • Key leadership figures (like Mitch McConnell) are sidelined
  • Graham’s influence as Senate Budget Committee chair and his ability to persuade fellow Republicans leaves a vacuum

Graham’s Distinct Legacy

• Ever-Evolving Stances

  "He'll also be remembered for morphing at times. He took different positions at different moments. He was trying to be close to power… Critics would say he abandoned some of his principles." — Matt Visor [05:49]

• Foreign Policy Hawk
  Jane and Matt discuss that, despite domestic flip-flops, Graham consistently supported robust foreign intervention, notably on Iran and Ukraine:

  "He was in Ukraine. He was one of Ukraine's biggest and loudest supporters in the Senate. Where does his death leave the US and the allies of Ukraine and of the conflict with Iran?" — Jane Costen [06:28]
  "He was really a conduit up until his last day with foreign leaders, trying to explain Trump, trying to move Trump…" — Matt Visor [06:55]

• Old-School Senate Relationships
  Graham’s ability to forge alliances across the aisle was notable:

  "He forged these personal bonds, which is kind of a bygone way of doing business in the Senate these days." — Matt Visor [07:32]

Immediate Political Implications

• Senate Dysfunction Risk

  "Graham's passing makes life very difficult for the Senate GOP... How does losing Graham impact their ability to, say, get a government funding bill done or get anything done?" — Jane Costen [11:33]
  "It really complicates it... Graham was the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. President Trump's relationship with the Senate Republican Caucus is not good. His absence really complicates things..." — Matt Visor [11:55]

• Trump’s Legislative Agenda in Jeopardy

  "For Trump especially it makes things a lot harder just because Lindsey Graham was that conduit. He could golf with Trump on a weekend and, you know, throughout the week try to work on different senators and get them on board with Trump's agenda." — Matt Visor [13:38]

The Appointment of Darlene Graham Nordone

• Who is Darlene Graham Nordone?

  • Graham’s sister and former ward, not a known political figure
  • Works with disabled children in South Carolina
  • Seen as caretaker/placeholder rather than long-term pol

  "She could be a caretaker and be a placeholder, somebody who's not going to be running to replace him permanently, but can be there for the time being." — Matt Visor [14:26]

Looking Ahead: Who Will Run for Graham’s Seat?

• Possible entrants include established SC politicians like Nancy Mace, Joe Wilson, Ralph Norman

• House majority is thin, which may discourage sitting Congress members from running

• The upcoming election will happen quickly, favoring those with existing campaign infrastructure

• Darlene Graham Nordone is unlikely to run long-term

  "It's a very short, compressed time frame... it leans more toward candidates who are already in office, already have the infrastructure, and can quickly put together a statewide campaign." — Matt Visor [16:21]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On interviewing Trump about Graham:

  "Interviewing Trump on TV is like trying to herd a cat, but also the cat is the president of the United States and a jerk." — Jane Costen [01:09]

• On Graham’s pragmatic approach:

  "He knew how DC worked. He was someone who could go on any Sunday morning show and then come back on Monday and make friends with Democrats on specific issues." — Jane Costen [12:48]

• On Darlene Graham Nordone's initial reaction:

  "She basically was like, I'm too devastated to think about anything right now, which is actually how people would handle this." — Jane Costen [15:51]

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• [00:00] Visor on Graham as GOP conciliator
• [05:49] Graham’s legacy and adaptability discussed
• [06:28] Graham’s consistent foreign policy positions
• [07:32] Bipartisanship in the Senate, Graham’s bygone style
• [11:33] Senate GOP’s new challenges post-Graham
• [13:38] Trump’s legislative trouble without Graham as his Senate conduit
• [14:26] Who is Darlene Graham Nordone?
• [16:21] Potential candidates and special election dynamics

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Episode Takeaways

• Lindsey Graham was an unpredictable, often polarizing figure who ultimately played a vital unifying role for Senate Republicans and as a key Trump ally within Congress.
• His sudden death leaves a substantial void, both in GOP cohesion and U.S. foreign policy leadership.
• Darlene Graham Nordone’s appointment is seen as a temporary, stabilizing move.
• The battle to fill Graham’s seat for the long term will be fast, competitive, and could further destabilize congressional dynamics.

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Transcript

[Matt Visor]

President Trump's relationship with the Senate Republican Caucus is not good. He's at odds with a lot of senators and Lindsey Graham was one of the conciliatory members who could kind of keep everybody on board. His absence really complicates things with a very small majority for them.

[Jane Costen]

I'm Jane Costen, and this is what a day. The show appreciating Fox News host Lawrence Jones's valiant efforts to get President Donald Trump to discuss the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham while Trump rants about the California gubernatorial election.

[President Donald Trump]

Again, can you imagine, this is the week after the election, this thing is starting to fake. And then I got the U.S. attorney involved and they didn't know in two weeks. They, they let it be known an hour later. So.

[Jane Costen]

Mr. That seemed, Mr. President, real quickly that, you know, different from Lincoln.

[President Donald Trump]

He's going to be on the runoff. These elections are very dishonest. And you can't have a country unless you have a really honest election.

[Jane Costen]

Interviewing Trump on TV is like trying to hurt a cat, but also the cat is the president of the United States and a jerk. On today's show, we talk about the impact of Senator Graham's sudden and unexpected passing with the Atlantic's Matt Visor. Before we get into all that, here's what we're following today. Monday, July 13th, no country is allowed

[Matt Visor]

to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway.

[Jane Costen]

Sounds like a pretty firm statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month, right? Wrong. Trump announced today that the U.S. is, quote, reinstating a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. And get this, will charge other ships for safe passage. Well, you tried, Marco. Until now, the US had said the strait should remain open to all without any tolls. Trump wrote in his True Social post that the US would be reimbursed 20% of the value of cargo to help cover, quote, any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security. You know, the job of helping ships cross a strait they were able to cross like six months ago. After weeks of mounting speculation, Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell finally gave an update on his hospitalization. The 84 year old said in a statement on Sunday that he was hospitalized after a fall last month. He said he was also treated for mild pneumonia while doctors ran tests. The statement was accompanied by A photo of McConnell in what appeared to be a hospital chair with his wife beside him. McConnell, who is retiring at the end of January, explained his four week silence by saying that, quote, folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. But you are a senator. It's different for you. He added that he's been moved to a rehab center but isn't ready to return to the Senate floor just yet

[Pete Hegseth]

when a leak of department information occurs today. It's critical that we provide the Department of Justice and other partners in federal law enforcement, including the FBI, with actionable information as quickly as possible. And that's why the Department of War and the Department of Justice have created a joint task force to identify and prosecute leakers.

[Jane Costen]

Defense Secretary Little boy Pete Hegseth announced an effort to crack down on people disclosing sensitive information without authorization. Which is a little funny because some of you might remember that Pete Hegseth shared sensitive information without authorization on a signal chat that featured the editor in chief of the Atlantic. Hag says announcement comes after the Department of Justice subpoenaed New York Times journalists following their reporting on security concerns involving the new Qatari gifted Air Force One, which entered service earlier this month. Trump, however, used an older model Air Force One jet to leave the NATO summit in Turkey and later referenced threats against him made by Iran, according to the Times. The subpoenas seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan this week. A federal immigration agent fatally shot a motorist in Maine today. It's the second time in a week that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have used deadly force, according to two advocacy groups. The man who was shot was a 26 year old from Columbia who was authorized to work in the US and had a Social Security number. And that's the news. Let's talk about the elite. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham passed away suddenly on Saturday evening at the age of 71. A preliminary report said he died of an aortic dissection caused by heart disease. Graham was a political lifer before winning a seat in the Senate in 2003. He served in the House of Representatives beginning in 1995. And like many Republicans, Graham went from a dedicated opponent of Donald Trump, tweeting in 2015, quote, if we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed and we will deserve it to one of Trump's most committed partisans. Just last month he said that Trump was, quote, not far behind God after the president endorsed him for another term. Graham leaves big shoes to fill in the Senate at a time when President Trump is on the outs with a lot of the GOP. And today South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced his temporary replacement, Graham's younger sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, who has little to no political experience of her own. So for more on Graham's legacy and what happens next, I spoke to Matt Visor a few hours before McMaster's announcement. He's a staff writer at the Atlantic. Matt, welcome to what a day.

[Matt Visor]

Hey, thanks for having me.

[Jane Costen]

So I think Lindsey Graham's passing came as a big surprise to pretty much everyone last weekend. It's tough to summarize a political legacy of someone who was around in the Senate for such a long time, but how will you remember Lindsey Graham?

[Matt Visor]

You know, his sense of humor is something that a lot of people have mentioned, and I experienced some to, too, during the times that I've interviewed him and followed his 2016 presidential campaign. But I think he'll also be remembered for morphing at times. He took different positions at different moments. He was trying to be close to power. He had a great friendship with John McCain and later really attached himself to President Trump. And critics would say that he abandoned some of his principles and sort of shifted as time went on. Given some of his rhetoric, particularly around

[Jane Costen]

Trump, I think something that seemed to be the through line, though, was that he was a foreign policy hawk. Like, you know, he was wearing the make Iran great again hat. He has been a major advocate for war with Iran. Just before he died, he was in Ukraine. He was one of Ukraine's biggest and loudest supporters in the Senate. Where does his death leave the US and the allies of Ukraine and of the conflict with Iran?

[Matt Visor]

I think with deep uncertainty. I mean, he was really a conduit up until his last day with foreign leaders, trying to explain Trump, trying to move Trump, the sanctions bill that he was pushing, what was really the last thing that he was doing and had an agreement, he said, with the White House around more sanctions on Russia. And as you mentioned, he was just very well traveled. And I think that is how he forged these different relationships with some unlikely people. John Kerry, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Coons, people who are not aligned with him politically but got to know him on these foreign trips. And, you know, they didn't agree with him, but I think they forged these personal bonds, which is kind of a bygone way of doing business in the Senate these days. I think those relationships exist fewer and fewer, but he's sort of a last remnant of that kind of work and that kind of a politician.

[Jane Costen]

We'll get back to my conversation with Matt Visor in a moment to talk about how Graham's death will impact the Senate gop. But if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar, our exclusive snack, hydration and coffee sponsor. IQ Bar Protein Bars, IQ Mix, Hydration Mixes and IQ Joe Mushroom Coffees are the delicious, low sugar, brain and body fuel you need to win your day. All IQ Bar products are clean, label, certified and entirely free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMOs and artificial ingredients. All IQ Bar products are packed with clean, delicious ingredients that keep you physically and mentally fit like magnesium, lion's mane and more. With over 20,000 5 star reviews and counting, more people than ever are fueling their busy lifestyles with IQ Bars, Brain and Body Boosting Bars, Hydration mixes and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three. I love having an IQ Bar after a trail run or a big workout. Right now, IQ Bar is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQ bar products, including the Ultimate Sampler Pack plus free shipping. To get your 20% off, text WAD to 64,000 text WAD to 64,000 that's WAD to 64,000. Message and data rates may apply. See Terms for details. What a Day is brought to you by Bilt. Here's a Are you getting rewarded for paying your rent or mortgage right now? If the answer is no, you need to check out bilt. Becoming a Bilt member means earning points on every housing payment, no matter where you live. BILT points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, Lyft rides, Amazon.com purchases, future housing payments, and more. Personally, I'd use them for fitness classes or a future housing payment. An unexpected benefit BILT gives every member access to is its agentic Neighborhood Concierge in the Bilt app. It doesn't just give you information about your home and neighborhood, it executes. It's connected to your home and over 50,000 merchant partners so you can ask it to pay your rent, make a dinner reservation, book a fitness class, schedule a lift, and more. It makes things happen while automatically applying your member benefits along the way. For a crowd that thinks a lot about what agentic AI actually looks like in practice, this is an example worth paying attention to. First, download the Bilt app. Second, link any credit or debit card to the app so purchases at your local spots become even more rewarding. And third, ask the neighborhood concierge in the app. Pretty much anything it'll tell you about exclusive member benefits at restaurants, fitness studios on your Lyft rides and more around your home. And for the homeowners out there, Bilt works for mortgages too. Your housing payment is one of your biggest monthly expenses, so why wouldn't you want to earn points on it? Download the Bilt app and join the membership for where you live at joinbilt.com wad that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com waad use our link so they know we sent you this

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Jane Costen]

Let's get back to my conversation with Matt Visor. This is a little gauche to say, but Graham's passing makes life very difficult for the Senate GOP, which already was facing thin margins. Mitch McConnell still in the hospital. There are just seven weeks remaining for the Senate until the midterms. How does losing Graham impact their ability to, say, get a government funding bill done or get anything done?

[Matt Visor]

It really complicates it. I mean, just in the fact that Lindsey Graham was the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. You know, where some of this legislation was. As President Trump recounted in their last phone call, Graham was bringing up the Save America act, which has been Trump's chief legislative priority. And he sort of conceded that this is a huge setback for any of those efforts, not having Lindsey Graham and his ability to persuade Senate Republicans to be on board. And we should also note, I mean, President Trump's relationship with the Senate Republican Caucus is not good. He's at odds with a lot of senators, and Lindsey Graham was one of the conciliatory members who could kind of keep everybody on board. His absence really complicates things with a very small majority for them.

[Jane Costen]

I want to go back to the point that you were making about how Graham was kind of the last of his, kind of a particular type of senator who was, yes, like a major ally to President Trump in the Senate, despite their weird relationship and the kind of off again on again thing that they did both in 2016 and 2021. But Graham knew how to do politics. Like so much of what he was able to do for the people of South Carolina was get federal dollars to South Carolina, which is actually kind of what you're supposed to do. And he knew how DC Worked like he was someone who could go on any Sunday morning show and then come back on Monday and make friends with Democrats on specific issues. What does his death mean for Trump and Trump's ability to get things done in D.C. given, as you said, he's not getting along with GOP leadership right now?

[Matt Visor]

Yeah, I think for Trump especially, it makes things a lot harder just because Lindsey Graham was that conduit. He could, he could golf with Trump on a weekend and, you know, throughout the week try to work on different senators and get them on board with Trump's agenda. And part of it's like through sheer personality and his sense of humor and his ability to connect with people, I think allowed those personal bonds to overlook some of the political differences.

[Jane Costen]

Graham is leaving a massive hole in the Senate. So let's talk about his potential replacement. Trump posted on Truth Social today that he wants the governor of South Carolina to appoint Lindsey Graham's sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, as his replacement. So first question, who is Darlene Graham Nordone.

[Matt Visor]

So Darlene is his younger sister and has been a key component of Lindsey Graham's personal and political biography. When he was running For President in 2016, she was a frequent presence. She would introduce him and the story that they would often tell is one somewhat of tragedy. Their parents died when she was very young. Graham was older, in college and would come home and take care of her and at some point became her legal guardian. And he grew up in kind of a poor upbringing, so she provided that kind of basis for his political biography. But it's not been kind of a central public figure. The only time I can remember really seeing her was during that presidential campaign. She's been active in some of his South Carolina campaigns as well, in introducing him and appearing in ads and things like that. But it hasn't been thought of as somebody herself with political aspirations. She works with disabled children and lives in South Carolina. But, you know, in some ways that helps. I think that she may not actually run for the seat, but she could be a caretaker and be a placeholder, somebody who's not going to be running to replace him permanently, but can be be there for the time being.

[Jane Costen]

Yeah, I just saw a little bit of reporting before we came on that someone was able to speak with her and she basically was like, I'm too devastated to think about anything right now, which is actually how people would handle this. But anyone the governor appoints will be a temporary replacement because Graham was in the middle of a surprisingly tight reelection campaign. And I say surprisingly because Graham was reelected what felt like dozens of times to me, who could emerge in that race for thinking, thinking towards the future, thinking towards the midterms.

[Matt Visor]

So there's a collection of people who are currently members of Congress. Nancy Mace, Joe Wilson, Ralph Norman. There's several candidates who could potentially run. It gets a little bit tricky. And why Lindsey Graham's sister is a more logical solution because the House majority is so thin right now that they need those people to be in Congress and not to take an interim appointment and take them out of the mix in Congress. So those are a couple of the names. The lieutenant governor is another. But it's a very short, compressed time frame. You know, Lindsey Graham won his the Republican primary a month ago. So this election will take place over the next couple of weeks. So it leans more toward candidates who are already in office, already have the infrastructure, and kind of can quickly put together a statewide campaign and try to win a Republican primary.

[Jane Costen]

Matt, thank you so much for joining me.

[Matt Visor]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Jane Costen]

That was my conversation with Matt Visor, staff writer at the Atlantic. Before we go, the NYPD tells us they are here to protect New Yorkers. But what if their original purpose was something else altogether? Join Crooked Ideas IRL in Lower Manhattan for an immersive 90 minute walking tour inspired by the award winning podcast Empire City. This on the ground storytelling experience takes you to real locations featured in the series exposing how power struggles, political forces and discriminatory policies shape policing. Tours run monthly beginning this Saturday, July 18th through Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are just $10. Reserve your spot today at crookedideas.org empirecity that's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, rip to the great Sam Neill and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about the legendary actor who starred in films ranging from Jurassic Jurassic park to Event Horizon to the Hunt for Red October and died today at the age of 78. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jayden Coastin and Sam Neill was also one of New Zealand's great exports and my favorite film of his is Hunt for the Wilder People. Highly recommend. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. Our show is produced by Caitlin Plummer, Emily Foer, Erica Morrison and Adrienne Hill. Our team includes Haley Jones, Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Joseph Dutra, Johanna Case and Desmond Taylor. Our music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Kanter. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America. East.

[Sponsor Voice]

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