NEW NORTH STAR

Trump Teases ‘Great’ Lindsey Graham Replacement

The president shared that he already has someone in mind to take over for the late senator.

Donald Trump says he has a clear frontrunner for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat—but he‘s keeping the name close to his chest for now.

The president phoned into Meet the Press on Sunday, and was asked about next steps following the unexpected death of South Carolina Sen. Graham aged 71 Saturday night.

“Do you have—I know it’s early hours—but is there someone you think he should appoint?” NBC host Kristen Welker asked.

Trump responded: “I have someone that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now. Because it’s just, you know, it’s too soon with Lindsey. I don’t want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good.”

Trump then outlined how he had paved the way for “good friend” Henry McMaster to become governor of South Carolina, saying that he could be trusted to provide a good interim replacement for Graham in turn.

“But I have somebody that I like, but I’m not going to tell you who now because it’s too soon,” he said.

“I never thought I’d be in this position. I thought Lindsey would be living forever,” he said.

Trump, 80, lamented: “I said, ‘Lindsey, you’re going to live forever.’ And he was going to have a big victory, you know, he was scheduled to win by a lot. He had my support and he was scheduled.

'I THOUGHT HE WAS FINE'

Trump Details Final Call With Graham ‘Moments Before’ Death

Katie Francis

“He was going to win by a lot, and was going to have one of his best elections ever. And now he’s got—he’s got this. Terrible.”

Graham died soon after returning from his tenth trip to Ukraine. His office described “a brief and sudden illness,” while police scanner audio recorded a man experiencing cardiac arrest at Graham’s address in Capitol Hill.

While Graham’s death was sudden and as of yet has no confirmed cause, a power vacuum has already surrounded his now-empty seat—which will be filled by a temporary replacement up until the end of his planned term on Jan. 3.

A special primary must be held by Aug. 11 in order to choose a new Republican nominee to face Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews in the midterms.

Rep. Joe Wilson and Nancy Mace—who lost her primary run for governor after being snubbed by Trump—have reportedly already thrown their hats in the ring, while McMaster hasn’t yet made his interim pick.

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Katie FrancisReporter

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.