Gov Haley picks Tim Scott to be US Senator

Charleston-based Congressman Tim Scott was selected by Governor Nikki Haley on Monday to replace Senator Jim DeMint for the next two years. DeMint plans to resign from the Senate in January and instead become president of the Heritage Foundation. The appointment makes Scott the first African-American senator from South Carolina for either party and the only black U.S. Senator serving in this Congress. State Senator Thomas Alexander shared these thoughts on the historic appointment.  “Certainly it is a very historic appointment.  I have had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Scott; he was in the House of Representatives before running for Congress.  He has been an effective member of Congress and I think the Governor made a wise decision.  With his experience in Washington, D.C. he will be able to take that with him to the U.S. Senate.” Prior to being elected to Congress, the 47-year-old Scott served on Charleston County Council for 13 years. He left that post once he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2008 and served in the Statehouse until his election to Congress in 2010. Scott will be sworn in to his new office on January 3.