A look back on the long history of Graham's Senate seat following sudden passing
The article reviews Lindsey Graham's long tenure in the Senate after his death.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Wpde, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
WPDE is a local news outlet, a source type generally associated with established editorial practices. The article identifies its author and attributes statements to the governor, the appointee, and a political science professor, though the short piece provides limited detail about its reporting and verification.
- Source type — Local news outlet with a regional reporting role.
- Source diversity — The report quotes the governor, the appointee, and a political science professor.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Transparency — The brief account offers limited detail about its reporting process or supporting documentation.
The article attributes the appointment and reaction to named speakers and includes historical context and an expert comment. Its short length leaves little room for additional sourcing, detail about the appointment process, or broader context.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The account includes several perspectives and relevant historical context, but it is brief and does not explore differing views about the appointment or provide substantial independent reporting on the succession.
- Source diversity — Quotes the governor, the appointee, and a political science professor.
- Counterarguments presented — No opposing views about the appointment are included.
- Omitted context — The short article gives little detail about how the appointment was made or its political implications.
- Loaded language — The writing is generally descriptive rather than evaluative.
The article uses largely descriptive language and reports the appointment and historical context without discernible partisan framing.
- Language tone — Mostly factual, restrained wording.
- Source selection — Includes statements from the governor and appointee as well as an academic comment.
- Framing — Frames the story around succession and the seat's history.
Republished
Republished from WACH. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
16 stories · 69–73 · updated Oct 5, 2026
This is WACH's own score, and this article is credited to WACH. The host score in the Source Check is Wpde's.
After Lindsey Graham's death, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline, to serve out his Senate term until the November election winner takes office in January. The article also reviews the seat's history under Graham and Strom Thurmond.
Gov. Henry McMaster said he appointed Darline Graham to finish her late brother Lindsey Graham's term after the senator died over the weekend. Darline Graham said she would work to support the president and carry forward her brother's efforts. The article says Lindsey Graham had held the seat since 2003 and won the Republican primary last month while seeking a fifth term.
The article describes Graham's leadership of the Senate Judiciary and Budget committees and his advocacy for Ukraine. It also recalls Strom Thurmond's more than 24-hour speech opposing the Civil Rights Act in 1957. Political science professor Kirk Randazzo said typical Senate turnover is not as long as the tenures of Thurmond and Graham. Darline Graham is to serve until the winner of November's election is sworn in in January.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSEDNo good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Graham in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Graham’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →South Carolina senator whose death and tenure are the focus of the seat's history
Senator appointed to finish Lindsey Graham's term
Graham's version of this story ↗Part of a bigger story
14 OUTLETSOutlets agree that after Lindsey Graham’s death, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve the remainder of Graham’s Senate term. Center outlets focus on the temporary succession and special-election process. Right-leaning outlets report the same appointment and also note President Trump’s recommendation or support for Nordone.
- ARTICLES
- 14
- OUTLETS
- 14
- AVG CRED
- 70
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