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Darline Graham in serious discussions about running for Lindsey Graham’s seat

▶ Watch Video: Darline Graham sworn in as U.S. senator, replacing her late brother Lindsey

Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina, who was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of her brother, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, is engaged in serious discussions about running for his seat in the upcoming special Republican primary on Aug. 11.

On Thursday, the new senator indicated in a White House meeting that she’s weighing a bid, CBS News confirmed, according to two sources familiar with her plans. Semafor first reported that she’s considering a Senate run.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed her as Lindsey Graham’s replacement for the remainder of his current term, which ends in January. Darline Graham, 62, was sworn in Tuesday and is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate. 

Her fellow South Carolina senator, Tim Scott, who also chairs the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, seemed open to the idea when asked about it Wednesday by CBS News. 

“Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start,” Scott said. “Why not her?”

Lindsey Graham, whose sudden death last weekend shocked the Senate, had served in the upper chamber since 2003 and was widely expected to win his fifth term this November. 

Darline Graham, who has had a career in disability services and most recently served as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, doesn’t have a background in elected office. But she said Monday that with the support of her brother’s staff, she feels confident in her ability to carry out the role. 

Powerful earthquake in Mexico shakes Guatemala and El Salvador

(CNN) — A powerful earthquake in southern Mexico shook nearby countries Guatemala and El Salvador on Friday, with the US Geological Survey (USGS) measuring its preliminary magnitude at 7.3.The earthquake’s epicenter was located 48 kilometers southwest of Aquiles Serdán, a town in the Mexican coastal state of Chiapas, according to the USGS.The quake appears to have caused moderate to severe shaking along the coast. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has cautioned that hazardous tsunami waves could be possible within 300 km of the epicenter. Tsunami waves up to one meter above the tide level are possible for the coasts of Guatemala and Mexico, the center said.Guatemala’s seismology institute later said the threat from tsunamis was low.Mexico’s Secretary of the Navy, Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, stated that there were “no issues” in the country following the quake.“There is no serious damage. Regarding maritime conditions, water levels at some beaches are expected to rise by up to half a meter due to the earthquake. The public is advised to stay away from beaches for the time being,” Morales Ángeles said at the end of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily morning press conference.The Chiapas Civil Protection has reported at least two injuries: One person was hurt after jumping from the third floor of a building, and another was injured when a door fell at a car dealership. Authorities have also responded to gas leaks and reports of collapsed walls, detached ceiling panels, cracks and other minor structural damage.Salomón Jara Cruz, the governor of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, said that the quake was felt “with moderate intensity” in the state’s capital city and that “no significant damage” has been reported.Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said no fatalities have been reported yet and that emergency response plans are being deployed. Authorities have reported damaged building facades and other unspecified “collapses.”El Salvador’s fire department also reported that no damage has been seen in the country so far.Multiple aftershocks have been felt in the region, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0, according to USGS.This is a developing story and will be updated.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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