SC GOP Official: Tim Scott Is ‘DeMint’s Choice’ for Replacement

Sen. Jim DeMint (R) wants Rep. Tim Scott (R) to replace him in the Senate when he leaves the body next month, a South Carolina Republican official tells TPM.

DeMint announced Thursday that he will be leaving the Senate to take over the Heritage Foundation, opening up a seat that will be filled by Gov. Nikki Haley (R) ahead of a 2014 special election. According to the South Carolina source, DeMint wants Scott — a conservative African American congressman representing the First Congressional District who was just elected to his second term last month — to take over for him.

The move would mean the Senate seat would still be held by a prominent tea partier, the source said, and would also give Haley and the GOP a chance to make history.

“It would be historic for an Indian American governor from the Deep South to appoint an African American to the U.S. Senate,” the official said. {snip}

“Scott is DeMint’s choice,” the source added.

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