“I rejected the option of a 'placeholder.'”
Nikki Haley speaking with reporters in early November.
Image by Bruce Smith / AP
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said in a statement that she won't appoint a temporary replacement to fill the vacancy created by Senator Jim DeMint's departure for a post atop the Heritage Foundation.
Haley said:
“As I continue to consider the impending U.S. Senate vacancy, many have discussed the possibility of a ‘placeholder’ appointee who would pledge to serve for only two years and not seek election to the seat in 2014. While there are some good arguments in favor of that approach, I believe the better case is against it.
“I do not want to tie the next U.S. Senator from South Carolina’s hands regarding future office. I do not want to deprive our state’s citizens of the chance to render their judgment on the appointee’s performance by way of their vote. Most importantly, while I am an avid supporter of term limits, I do not want the effectiveness of our state’s new U.S. Senator to be undermined by the fact that he or she will automatically be leaving the office such a very short time after assuming it.
“I believe South Carolina will be best served by a U.S. Senator who will work hard day in and day out, and put him or herself before the voters at the soonest possible time. Accordingly, I reject the option of a ‘placeholder.’”
The names mentioned to replace DeMint have included Congressman Tim Scott and former South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster who told BuzzFeed last week when asked if he had been contacted about replacing DeMint "I have nothing to say about that."
