South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley today announced that she will appoint Congressman Tim Scott to the U.S. Senate. Scott will replace conservative stalwart Senator Jim DeMint who announced a couple of weeks ago that he was resigning to head D.C.-based think tank The Heritage Foundation.
As I wrote on Yellowhammer and The Daily Caller last week, Scott is the kind of staunch conservative who will make DeMint proud. His current Heritage Action score is 88% while the average House Republican’s score is 66%.
The Madison Project, an organization focused on scoring the conservative performance of legislators, expressed their excitement over Scott’s appointment in a statement on their website this morning. “We are all happy to hear that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley plans to appoint Tim Scott to Jim DeMint’s Senate seat. While it is tough to find someone who could fill such big shoes, Tim Scott is one of the best choices.”
Scott will immediately be a significant voice in the conservative movement nationally.
On a historic note, Scott is the first African American senator from the South since Reconstruction and becomes the only current African American Senator from either Party.
“South Carolina Republicans are thrilled with Governor Haley’s historic selection,” South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connelly said in a statement when news of Scott’s appointment began to leak this morning. “Rep. Scott embodies our American dream. He is a man of faith, a small businessman, and a consistent voice for common sense reforms. We look forward to him carrying Senator Jim DeMint’s torch of conservative leadership,” he wrote.
“The Tim Scott for President speculation is already ramping up around here,” a prominent U.S. Senate staffer told Yellowhammer. “This is a huge coup for the conservative movement. He’s going to be a major player for the next couple of decades.”
But before any questions about 2016 can be answered, Scott must first win a Senate race in 2014, which is when DeMints term would have been up.
Congratulations, Senator Scott, and thank you Governor Haley for making a great choice.
