President Donald Trump has publicly recommended that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appoint Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, to serve as interim senator until a special election fills the seat permanently. McMaster is expected to announce his decision at a press conference on Monday afternoon, with multiple US media reports indicating Nordone is the likely choice. Under South Carolina law, the governor’s appointee will hold the seat until the winner of the November general election takes office in January, while a separate special primary—scheduled for 11 August, with candidate filing opening on 21 July—will select the Republican nominee for the full six-year term.

Viewed from Washington, the endorsement by Trump and by South Carolina’s senior senator, Tim Scott, reflects a preference among key Republican figures for a caretaker who would not seek the seat permanently, thereby leaving the special primary open to a competitive field. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told CNN that tapping Nordone “makes a lot of sense” as a way of extending Graham’s legacy. Nordone, who was legally adopted by Graham after their parents died when she was a teenager, has never held public office and, according to a New York Post interview, described herself as “devastated” by the loss. South Carolina political observers note that the governor could have chosen a candidate intending to run in the special election, which would have conferred incumbency advantages; the reported choice of Nordone signals an effort to avoid pre-empting the primary.

The vacancy arrives at a moment of narrowed Republican Senate margins. With Graham’s death and the hospitalisation of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, the party’s effective voting strength drops to 51 seats in the 100-member chamber. Analysts in Washington note that this complicates the path for pending legislative items, including defence spending bills, sanctions legislation, and the confirmation of nominees, at a time when the administration is also managing military engagement with Iran. Graham chaired the Budget Committee, and his absence adds uncertainty to efforts to avert a government shutdown later this year.

The special primary is already drawing interest from several South Carolina Republicans. Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who vacated her House seat for an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, has said she is considering a run. Representative Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, is expected to announce his intentions on Tuesday. Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, who lost the gubernatorial primary, has received encouragement to enter the race, according to sources close to her. Other potential candidates include Representative Russell Fry and former Congressman Trey Gowdy. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. The filing period opens on 21 July, and the primary is set for 11 August, with a runoff, if needed, on 25 August.