Darline Graham Nordone was sworn in Tuesday to fill the Senate seat left vacant by her brother Lindsey Graham, who died Saturday evening at his Washington, D.C., home.
The medical examiner's office determined that Graham, 71, died of an aortic dissection. He had called his scheduler to report chest pain before losing consciousness. First responders were summoned to his Capitol Hill townhouse.
President Trump said Tuesday that the death resulted from a condition that is almost undetectable and noted that Graham's father had died of the same thing at about the same age. Trump dismissed online conspiracy theories and said the FBI was wasting time by investigating the scene.
At the weekly GOP Senate lunch on Tuesday, senators viewed a tribute video presented by Senator Tom Cotton that highlighted Graham's military service and humor. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also attended the event.
Governor Henry McMaster appointed Nordone to serve the remainder of her brother's term, which ends in January 2027. She said she would work hard to support the president and carry forward her brother's efforts.
