“I’m in.” Darlene Graham said she will run for a full term in Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Darlene Graham said Monday she is running for a full term to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat.

“I’ve made a decision,” Darlene Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity, in a clip from an interview scheduled to air later Monday. “I’m in.”

The entry of Darlene Graham — who was sworn in last week to serve out the remaining months of her late brother’s term, which ends in January — into the Republican scramble to choose a new Senate nominee further complicates an already rushed process following the death of Lindsey Graham earlier this month.

The week-long filing period begins Tuesday for the special Republican primary, which will be Aug. 11. On Friday, President Donald Trump said Darlene Graham had her “full and complete endorsement” of the nomination bid, adding, “Run, Darlene, run!”

Read more: Who is Darlene Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham?

Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darlene Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s term, which expires in January. In his announcement, McMaster did not mention Darlene Graham as a placeholder or token appointment, although a person familiar with McMaster’s thinking but not authorized to speak publicly said the governor, in selecting Darlene Graham, never considered that she would run for the seat herself.

Before Darlene Graham’s appearance — and their meeting in the Oval Office after she was sworn in — Trump had previously suggested he could support the potential nomination of Rep. Russell Frey, who said Monday he would formally enter the special primary. Several other prominent politicians had already joined, including Rep. Ralph Norman, and others like Rep. Nancy Mace and Gov. Pamela Yvette were looking to run.

Watch the clip in the player above.

Darlene Graham told Hannity that she had been “praying a lot” about how to handle her new role.

“It’s a tremendous amount of pressure,” she said.

“I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey,” Darlene Graham said. “I feel like I can do it. I feel inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes.”

Read more: Darlene Graham focuses on occupational disability. Now it can help shape national policy

Lindsey Graham’s funeral services are scheduled to be held next week in Washington and South Carolina. A preliminary report from the coroner stated that he suffered from a ruptured aorta.

The millions in Lindsey Graham’s campaign account are not money that Darlene Graham can access directly in her own campaign, according to Bradley A. Smith, former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission.

Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign will be limited to transferring only $2,000 to potential running mate Darlene Graham. However, Smith said there is no limit to the amount that can be transferred to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which — thanks to a Supreme Court decision last month — can “spend an unlimited amount in coordination with Darlene’s campaign.”