Lindsey Graham, the five-term Republican senator from South Carolina, died on July 11, 2026, at 71. His sister Darline Graham was appointed to his seat two days later, and on Tuesday, Nov. 3, she lost it. Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, beat her in the Senate race, according to projections by CBS News and NBC News. That is what happened to Lindsey Graham and the seat he held for more than two decades. The details below come from his office, state officials and news reports.
Who holds the seat until January
Darline Graham is still a senator for now. The governor’s office said when it announced her appointment that she would serve until Jan. 3, 2027, when the new Congress convenes. Andrews won a full six-year term, so she takes over at that point.
The result also counts toward Senate control. Rappler reported that Andrews’ win and Roy Cooper’s win in North Carolina gave Democrats two of the four seats they need to net for a majority. Other races that decide the chamber, including Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Maine and Alaska, were still being counted late Tuesday.
How the senator died
Graham’s office said on July 12 that he “passed away from a brief and sudden illness” the evening before, according to a statement on his Senate website. Later that day, his office released the D.C. medical examiner’s preliminary finding: “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” Politico and the BBC reported. An aortic dissection is a tear in the inner wall of the body’s main artery.
That finding is still preliminary. The statement said the death certificate would stay pending until toxicology and microscopic testing were finished, and we found no public report of a final certificate. Online rumors circulated anyway. Trump told Reuters he had spoken with Graham “minutes” before he became ill and ruled out foul play.
From appointment to nominee in six weeks
McMaster named Darline Graham to the seat on July 13, after Trump recommended her, NBC News reported. “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him,” she said. She was sworn in on July 14, including a ceremonial oath in the Old Senate Chamber, AP reported, and became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate. Before that, she had run the South Carolina Commission for the Blind since 2019.
Her brother was already the party’s nominee, so state law allowed a special primary to replace him on the ballot. Darline Graham led a 10-candidate field on Aug. 11 with about 33%, ahead of Norman, Rep. Russell Fry and former Gov. Mark Sanford, the SC Daily Gazette reported. She then beat Norman in the Aug. 25 runoff with about 52.5%, according to NBC News and Reuters.
Where the general election got away from her
The first-time candidate drew criticism early. In a primary debate she said she was “not that informed on national security,” and Andrews pointed to that remark when she questioned Graham’s experience, CBS News reported. NBC News said the Cook Political Report moved the race from solidly Republican to likely Republican in September.
Money was lopsided. In the final pre-election filing period, Andrews raised more than $4 million and spent over $4.6 million in two weeks, while Graham’s campaign raised about $90,000, according to NBC News. Outside groups tried to close the gap, and the reported totals differ. CBS News put the Senate Leadership Fund’s October investment at $5 million. NBC News said the super PAC spent $13 million in the closing stretch. CBS also reported that MAGA Inc. gave Graham $827,000 in August, and Trump campaigned for her in the state.
Late in the race she split with Trump on one issue. After he said he would waive sanctions on Russia under a new law named for her brother, she told reporters she did not trust Putin and would keep the pressure on Russia, NBC News reported.
Our math on the swing
We compared Tuesday’s count with the 2024 presidential result to put the size of the upset in numbers.
| Republican margin | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 presidential race in South Carolina | Trump by about 18 points | CBS News |
| 2026 Senate race, about 88.5% of the expected vote counted | Graham behind by 4.6 points (Andrews 51.4%, Graham 46.8%) | Reuters results data, 10:03 p.m. ET |
| Change | Roughly a 22-point shift toward Democrats (our calculation) | |
At that count, Andrews led by 77,304 votes, 863,301 to 785,997. The final margin will move as the last ballots come in, so treat the 22-point figure as a rough guide. Candidate races and presidential races also draw different voters, which makes this a loose comparison.
What isn’t settled yet
Andrews gave a victory speech in Charleston on Tuesday night, which Fox News and C-SPAN carried live. As of this writing we had not seen a concession statement from Darline Graham reported by a major outlet. Two other parts of what happened to Lindsey Graham and his seat are still open. The vote count is not final, and the medical examiner’s ruling on his death is still listed as preliminary.
FAQ
When did Lindsey Graham die?
On the evening of Saturday, July 11, 2026. He was 71.
What did Lindsey Graham die of?
The D.C. medical examiner’s preliminary finding was an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The death certificate was left pending until toxicology and microscopic tests were done.
Who is Darline Graham?
She is Lindsey Graham’s younger sister. She led the South Carolina Commission for the Blind before Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to the Senate on July 13, 2026.
When does Annie Andrews take office?
Darline Graham’s appointment runs until Jan. 3, 2027, when the new Congress convenes. Andrews was elected to the full six-year term that starts then.
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Updated November 4, 2026