I Can Handle Six Years!

The DEI hire, Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) walks with Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and John Thune (R-SD).

Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Russell Fry (R-SC), Lt. Governor Pam Evette and now Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) are in the running for the special primary election to replace Lindsey Graham.

Graham, 71 died in July after returning from Ukraine. He had a heart condition that he ignored. He was supposed to appear on GOP Sundays with Kristen Welker, Shannon Bream, Martha Raddatz and Margret Brennan to whine about Democrats opposing Israel and more war with Iran.

Graham's funeral services on July 28. President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Gov. Henry McMaster will likely attend.

Okay, Graham Nordone, 61 is the sister of the late senator. She was appointed this month and has already voted on numerous bills.

“I’ve made a decision,” Darline Graham told Fox host Sean "Softball" Hannity, according to a clip released of an interview set to air later Monday. “I’m in.”

The entrance of Graham Nordone — sworn in last week to fulfill the remaining months of her late brother’s term, which expires in January — into the Republican scramble to select a new Senate nominee further complicates an already rushed process following Graham's death earlier this month.

A weeklong filing period opens Tuesday for the special Republican primary, which will be Aug. 11. On Friday, Trump said that Graham Nordone had his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to seek the nomination, adding, “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”

Last week, McMaster appointed Graham Nordone to serve the remainder of her brother’s term, which ends in January. In his announcement, McMaster made no reference to Graham Nordone as a placeholder or symbolic appointment, although a person familiar with McMaster’s thinking but unauthorized to speak publicly said the governor, in selecting Graham Nordone, had never contemplated that she would run for the seat herself.

Before the emergence of Graham Nordone — and their Oval Office meeting after she was sworn in — Trump had previously suggested he could back a potential candidacy from Rep. Russell Fry, who said Monday he would officially enter the special primary.

Softball Hannity, softball.

Several other noteworthy politicians, including Norman, have already gotten in, and others like Evette have been eyeing a run. 

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) announced Monday she would not enter the contest.

Graham Nordone told "Softball" Hannity said she had been “praying a lot” about how to navigate her new role.

“It is a tremendous amount of pressure,” she said.

“I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey,” Graham Nordone said. “I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes.”

Funeral services for Lindsey Graham are scheduled to be held next week in Washington and South Carolina. A preliminary report from the medical examiner said he suffered a tear in his aorta.

The millions in Lindsey Graham’s campaign account aren’t funds that Darline Graham could directly access in a run of her own, according to Bradley A. Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.

Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign would be limited to transferring just $2,000 to a potential Darline Graham candidacy. However, Smith said there is no limit on how much it could transfer to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could — thanks to a Supreme Court decision last month — “spend an unlimited amount in coordination with Darline’s campaign.”

Have South Carolina as Safe Republican. Now whomever wins will face against Annie Andrews, the Democratic opponent.