South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R) announced on Monday, the 13th, at 4:00 p.m. that he is appointing Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), to succeed him. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) was present for the announcement.

Governor McMaster stated that the late Senator Graham had cared for his sister his entire life, and he asked Darline Graham Nordone to take on his Senate seat and complete his work.

In her subsequent acceptance speech, Darline Graham Nordone responded that she would honor her brother's legacy by fulfilling his duties with the assistance of his staff.

Earlier, President Trump announced on Monday that he had urged Governor McMaster to appoint Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, stating that it would be a "wonderful tribute to Lindsey."

Graham's passing leaves behind a deeply personal story.

The two lost their parents at a young age and raised each other; he later became her legal guardian. They remained close throughout their lives, and when he ran for re-election earlier this year, his sister stood by his side along with her children and grandchildren.

A source familiar with the selection process told the Associated Press that the interim senator is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday.

According to the Wall Street Journal, emergency responders were dispatched to the senator's Capitol Hill home on Saturday night following a report that he was suffering from chest pains.

Per the WSJ, first responders forced their way into the home after receiving no answer to their knocks and performed CPR on the individual, who was in cardiac arrest.

While the recording did not explicitly mention Graham by name, the address matched one registered as the senator's residence.

Trump stated that he had spoken with Graham just hours before he died.

The President told reporters that the South Carolina Republican, having just returned from a trip to Ukraine, seemed tired but otherwise in good spirits.

"He said, 'I'm tired from the long trip,' but other than that, he was fine," the President recounted.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated on Sunday that the FBI is assisting local authorities and has deployed federal resources to the investigation.

The 71-year-old senator had just returned from meetings in Ukraine and Europe, where he had been working to push legislation for tougher sanctions against Russia.

His death has sent shockwaves through Washington, with President Trump, congressional leaders, and members of both parties offering condolences while honoring his decades of public service and his influence on U.S. foreign policy.

Meanwhile, Graham had been scheduled to run for re-election this fall. A Republican special primary to determine his successor is set for August 11, with the candidate filing period beginning on July 21.

The winner of this special primary will face Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews in the general election in November.

U.S. NNP = Representative Reporter Hong Sung-goo / NNP Special Correspondent info@newsandpost.com