All things being equal, Darline Graham Nordone should have the opportunity to develop her own record and persona, both in her service as interim U.S. senator for the rest of 2026 and as a candidate for a full six-year term beginning next year. On the other hand, she owes her rather elevated starting point in politics entirely to her late brother, Lindsey Graham. (Her prior service on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, while worthy, is at a different level of policy-making altogether). So you’d expect her to show some exceptional deference to the man who won the seat she holds. That is not, however, how she’s rolling, as the Washington Examiner reports:

When Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) released her first campaign ad, she thanked South Carolinians for their prayers, President Donald Trump for his endorsement, and then stated her positions on three issues.“I am a conservative Republican and I believe this,” she said, looking into the camera. “Every life is precious …”“Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” she continued, affirming that under Title IX, where applicable, sports participation should be based on biological sex rather than gender identity.“And only American citizens should vote in our elections,” Graham Nordone concluded, consistent with Trump’s push to pass the SAVE America Act and to purge noncitizens from voter rolls ahead of the midterm elections.Missing was any reference to Iran, Ukraine, or any of the foreign-policy issues that animated her late brother during his 23 years in the Senate and more........

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