'I've made a decision': Darline Graham announces she's running for late brother's seat in U.S. Senate

Darline Graham.

Interim U.S. Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina, who was sworn in to finish her brother Lindsey Graham's senate term after he died unexpectedly last Saturday night, announced she's running to win the seat, in a bid to succeed her late brother for a six-year term. 

Graham was sworn in on July 13 after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to fill the longtime Republican senator's seat. Trump had encouraged McMaster to appoint the 62-year-old sibling to fill the open seat, and met with her in the Oval Office since she became a senator and announced his support for her to run for the seat. "I hope Darline does this," Trump had said.

Her response came Monday in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News. "I've made a decision," Graham said in the interview. "I'm in." 

As of Tuesday, Graham now has about a week to file necessary paperwork for her to officially enter the race. A special primary will be held on August 11. Her brother's funeral is set to be held on July 28 and, according to The New York Post, is taking place weeks after his death due to scheduling issues because so many foreign dignitaries expressed a desire to attend.

Graham talked about the emotional roller coaster she's been on over the last eight days since her brother's unexpected death at 71.

“It was so hard, but from there, things just started moving so fast,” she said in the interview, adding that she was “shocked” to learn she had support from both the governor and president to finish her brother's term in office. 

“It never occurred to me, you know, that -- that was Lindsey’s life, not mine,” she said. “I never wanted to be a politician or a senator but when they asked, it didn’t take me long. I prayed. I talked to my family, and I knew that I had to step up," she continued. “I had to carry on his legacy.” 

Graham will face several other candidates in the August 11 special primary. U.S. Representative Russell Fry announced on Monday that he was jumping into the race. U.S. Representative Ralph Norman had already declared his candidacy, and the state's Lt. Gov., Pamela Evette, is also mulling a possible run, The Associated Press reported.

Notably, U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, who lost a primary race in a bid to become governor earlier this year, announced Monday on social media that she would not enter the race for Graham's senate seat. 

Graham told Hannity the gravity of the situation was not lost on her. “I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey,” she said. “I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes.” Watch a clip from her interview below.