(The Center Square) – Republican U.S. Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham led South Carolina’s congressional delegation as the 119th Congress was sworn in on Friday in Washington.
Scott, 59, started his 13th year becoming the nation’s longest-serving Black senator in American history while Graham, 69 and the first nonincumbent Republican senator from the state since Reconstruction in 1872, is beginning his 23rd.
The South Carolina delegation in the lower chamber includes longtime Rep. James Clyburn, the Democrat elected in 1992, and Republican Reps. Joe Wilson, Ralph Norman, William Timmons, Nancy Mace, Russell Fry and Sheri Biggs.
Scott was appointed in January 2013 by Gov. Nikki Haley to fill the remainder of Sen. Jim DeMint’s term, then won a special election in November 2014. This past election cycle he briefly entered the presidential race before stepping away less than six months later in November 2023.
Scott will serve as chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. He’s also been named to five other committees: Finance; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Homeland Security and Government Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging.
Graham succeeded Republican Strom Thurmond, who retired from Congress at age 100. Graham’s first election victory was the first open Senate seat race since 1956.
Graham in the 119th Congress will be chairman of the Budget Committee.
