Upon word of the resignation from the Senate of Jim DeMint (R-SC), freshman US Rep. Jim Scott said, “Looking forward, Governor Haley will now appoint a new Senator, and I know she will make the right choice both for South Carolina and the nation.” Little did he know that he was that choice.
DeMint will serve the remainder of DeMint’s term, and a special election will be held in 2013 to fill the House seat he will be vacating.
According to reports, Scott was DeMint’s own personal choice for the seat. He becomes the first African-American Republican senator since the exit from the body of Edward Brooke (R-MA) back in 1979.
Gov. Nikki Haley said, “What I will also tell you, and it is very important to me as a minority female, that Congressman Scott earned this seat. He earned this seat for the person that he is. He earned this seat for the results he has shown. He earned this seat for what I know he’s going to do in making South Carolina and making our country proud.”
DeMint was widely believed to have the inside track to the chair of the Commerce Committee. He was also the author of a bill which troubled many in the broadcast community, particularly when it came to matters like retransmission consent.
Scott is currently a member of the House Rules Committee, and the issues section of his website makes little or no mention of communications issues. He is, however, generally in favor of undoing as much government regulation as possible.
