The GOP Kept Lindsey Graham's Senate Seat In The Family

There are only two ways Washington knows how to deal with aging or deceased senators: either Weekend at Bernie’s them through another news cycle, or keep the seat in the family.

This week, in the aftermath of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s death, Republicans chose the second option.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced that Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, will serve out the remainder of Graham’s Senate term after his sudden death from a ruptured aorta. 

Nordone’s appointment came after Donald Trump publicly urged McMaster to pick her, calling it a fitting tribute to one of his closest allies in Congress. Nordone isn’t expected to run for the seat permanently; instead, she’ll serve until a Republican nominee is selected through a special election process already underway. 

The backstory of the Grahams is almost enough to give Lindsey’s noted bigotry, pro-Israel stance, and homophobia a pass. 

Sike, no, it’s not. 

Anyway, after both of their parents died within 15 months of each other, a 22-year-old Lindsey Graham became the legal guardian of his 13-year-old sister. He later adopted her so she could receive military benefits while he served in the Air Force. Nordone spent much of her career working in disability services and on South Carolina’s Commission for the Blind rather than seeking elected office.

And all of this nepotism has still been handled better than Mitch McConnell’s disappearance. 

For months—really, years—the public watched Mitch McConnell freeze in front of cameras, suffer repeated health scares and disappear from public view while his office insisted everything was perfectly normal. Every awkward appearance became another round of “don’t believe your lying eyes.” Every absence fueled another conspiracy theory. Then came the infamous “proof of life” photo that only made the internet more convinced something wasn’t adding up.

So yes, replacing Lindsey Graham with his sister is political nepotism-adjacent. It raises fair questions about whether powerful political families enjoy privileges ordinary Americans never will.

But at least everyone can see what’s happening. No carefully staged photographs. No awkward denials. No pretending that obvious realities aren’t real.

Lindsey Graham died. His governor appointed someone to temporarily fill the vacancy. That doesn’t make the decision beyond criticism. South Carolina voters didn’t elect Darline Graham Nordone. Trump’s endorsement undoubtedly influenced the appointment. And yes, there are experienced elected officials who could have stepped into the role instead. Critics have every right to question whether family ties should matter in filling one of the country’s most powerful offices.

But compared with Washington’s usual habit of treating the public like mushrooms—keeping us in the dark and feeding us nonsense—this is almost… normal.

Which may be the saddest commentary of all.

When “the senator’s sister got the job because everyone knows she’s the senator’s sister” feels like the most transparent thing the government has done in years, it says less about Darline Graham Nordone and much more about the institution she’s walking into.

SEE ALSO:

Sen. Lindsey Graham Dead At 71, Social Media Predictably Reacts

Lindsey Graham Knew Donald Trump Was A Racist And Helped Him Rule

The GOP Kept Lindsey Graham's Senate Seat In The Family was originally published on newsone.com