Darline Graham

As attention turns to Darline Graham, the sister of late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, after she won the Republican nomination for his former U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, interest is also turning to the family members.

Graham, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated Representative Ralph Norman in the Republican primary on Tuesday, winning roughly 52 percent of the vote.

Graham is married to Lawrence “Larry” Nordone, who has largely kept a low public profile despite his family's ties to one of South Carolina's most prominent political figures.

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Newsweek has reached out to Nordone for comment via email on Wednesday.

Who Is Darline Graham?

Graham, 62, is Lindsey Graham’s younger sister. They grew up in the town of Central, South Carolina, where their parents, Millie and F.J. Graham, operated the Sanitary Cafe, a combination restaurant, bar and pool hall. The family lived modestly, at one point residing in a room behind the business.

Their lives changed dramatically when Millie died of Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1976, the Post and Courier reported. About 15 months later, F.J. died of a heart attack, leaving Graham, then a college student in his early 20s, responsible for his teen sister.

According to the Post and Courier in South Carolina, Graham adopted his sister after joining the Air Force so she could receive military benefits. He became her legal guardian and helped raise her.

Darline Graham has worked as an optician and held positions at several South Carolina state agencies, including the Commission for the Blind and the Department of Employment and Workforce. A resident of Lexington, she graduated from the College of Charleston and earned a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling.

In July, the South Carolina special primary election was held after Lindsey Graham, who had represented the state in the Senate since 2003, died on July 11 from an aortic dissection. He was up for reelection this year and won the party’s nomination in June, so his death required Republicans to select a new candidate. At Trump's recommendation, Republican Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to fill the seat through the end of the current term. She is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

Who Is Larry Nordone?

Nordone married Graham in 2006 and lives with her in Lexington County, South Carolina.

Public records and business listings connect Nordone to Birchwood Trading LLC, a family-owned home textiles company founded by Louie and Allison Harrison in 2012.

Product previews appear to include John Deere-branded gift and lifestyle items rather than agricultural equipment. Birchwood Trading's website was unavailable Wednesday and directed users to a contact email associated with Nordone.

A recent New Yorker profile said that in addition to his involvement with Birchwood Trading, Nordone is the chief operating officer of Cosmox North America, a Columbia, South Carolina-based company that operates several consumer and sporting-products brands. Cosmox's portfolio spans recreational products and firearms-related businesses.

Also included in Cosmox’s portfolio is Bronco Defense Industry, a firearms importer, and Greyhawk Sporting Arms, a firearms and shooting-sports company opening next summer, according to its website.

Does Darline Graham Have Children?

Graham has two daughters, Nicole Nordone and Emillie Boggs Roberts.

Boggs Roberts, 32, Graham's eldest, is the mother of a son and is expecting her second child. Boggs Roberts said she and her mother had planned to tell Lindsey Graham about the pregnancy on the day he died.

"She [Darline Graham] never got to tell him," Boggs Roberts said during her uncle's funeral on July 28. "But I have no doubt that he knows and is thrilled.”

Boggs Roberts, who has publicly discussed a series of health challenges, said Lindsey Graham was a constant source of support and remained closely involved in her life throughout those experiences. In one instance, after she had brain surgery, she said he helped alert a nurse when her brain was swelling and “no doubt preventing a catastrophe and likely saving my life.”

What Happens Next

Graham will face off against Democrat Annie Andrews in the November 3 general election to succeed her late brother in a full term.

South Carolina is a difficult state for Democrats, having backed Trump by 18 points in 2024. But they believe the race could become more competitive as his approval rating falls amid cost-of-living and broader economic concerns.