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Meet Jim DeMint’s Successor: Tim Scott

Dec. 17, 2012 9:57am Mytheos Holt

The New York Times is reporting that following the retirement of Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) to run the Heritage Foundation, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley will appoint Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) to fill his vacant seat:

Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina has chosen Representative Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the United States Senate, according to Republican officials. The move will make Mr. Scott the first black senator from the state since the late 19th century. Ms. Haley is expected to make her announcement at noon in South Carolina, according to officials.

South Carolina Rep. Tim Scott to Replace Jim DeMint

Tim Scott (File photo)

Scott was first elected in 2010, and will face a special election to serve out the remainder of DeMint’s term in 2014.

When DeMint first announced his intention to retire, TheBlaze fingered Scott as the most likely successor. At the time, this is what we wrote:

In a year where Republicans are increasingly fretting about their capacity to reach minorities, Tim Scott is a clear aberration. That is, he is the only African American congressman in the GOP. The fact that he survived a bruising primary battle in his first run for Congress against Paul Thurmond, son of infamous Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond, makes him a battle-tested prospect. The South Carolina establishment is already lining up behind him, and most observers view him as the clear favorite.

That prediction appears to have been true, though we won’t know for sure until noon today, when Governor Nikki Haley will announce her choice publicly.

Once Scott assumes DeMint’s seat – which he will, if these reports are accurate – he is poised to become the only currently sitting black Senator, and the first Republican black Senator since Edward Brooke in 1979. Given this, Scott will almost certainly become a highly visible face for Republicans on issues pertaining to race.

In fact, he quite arguably already had a high profile before Haley’s presumptive announcement. Here’s Scott’s brief but well-received remarks at this year’s Republican National Convention:

UPDATE: Haley has officially named Tim Scott as Jim DeMint’s successor. Video of her announcement follows.

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Comments (64)

nonofmybiznez
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:52pm
I mean can’t get them to run.

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- turkey13
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 5:33pm
  I feel sorry for Mr. Scott. Lokk at what the white Democrats did to Herman Cain. This will happen to him while the blacks join in and call him a raciest for being a Republican.
  ju
  
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Hickory
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:04pm
Tim is solid. He will make a fine Senator.

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bobbie22
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 3:29pm
I am thrilled, he has great values.

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Tri-ox
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 2:54pm
obama’s liberals are already attacking Tim Scott … “Vile cries of ‘token,’ ‘Uncle Ruckus’ begin…”

http://twitchy.com/2012/12/17/gov-haley-picks-rep-tim-scott-to-replace-demint-vile-cries-of-token-uncle-ruckus-begin/

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- nonofmybiznez
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:51pm
  Token is not a way to describe him. Tim Scott should not be identified by the color of his skin. He is an American. Congratulations on being one of many. Serve us proud and don’t compromise your integrity. No wonder we can get Blacks and Hispanics to run, they are racially attacked by the bigotted left.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 5:06pm
  There have only been & African Americans to serve in the U.S. Senate. Four out of Seven African Americas to serve have been Republican. All the African American who have served have been from Illinois. One of those was appointed.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_United_States_Senators
  
  I have to ask the question “Are Democrats prejudiced against blacks & do not want one to serve in the U.S. Senate”?
  
  Outside of Illinois the Democrats have not elected an African American to the senate. That’s messed up.
  
  Report this comment
AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 2:06pm
It is refreshing to see a good black man in Washington.. for there are few of them. Enough said! Pray for Mr. Scott to win.. we need more good men!

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:38am
  how-bout replacing MaxinePoluted-waters and a few others of different colors…and all those WHITE-PROG-DEMOC-RATS in U.S.A.-House&Sennate!!
  
  Report this comment
dwf1
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 1:41pm
I read some comments on MSLSD regarding Mr. Scott being chosen to represent the state of SC. You would think the progs were out for a lynching. Never saws so much hatred for a man they don’t know (except for GW). I wish soon to be Senator Scott all the best.

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:33pm
Same here MONK. Keep it up and you guys will eventually send these Nigerian trolls packing.

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banjarmon
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:29pm
Mr. Scott I wish you Well!!

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Yakov-Yurovsky
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:05pm
The racial composition of White America’s demographics is decomposing to the point where the individual is afraid to look around and find out where all the stench is coming from-lol

With that being said, I wish this guy the best of luck!

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- mecbb55
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 1:35pm
  zeig-heil! is that a quote from mein kampf?
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 3:59pm
  Probably a previous post from Jihad Jerk.
  
  Report this comment
- Yakov-Yurovsky
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:00pm
  Heil!
  
  I don’t know, I read that book almost twenty years ago.
  
  Report this comment
- Yakov-Yurovsky
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 9:23pm
  @ FUBARB,
  
  In light of the tragedy that happen in Connecticut, I feel like a Jerk, not a Jehad Jerk though. How could I write an outrageous line like that with all this media coverage of the tragedy in Connecticut.
  
  Not only that, I was reading about demographics right before I read this article and it appears that I wrote this because of Tim Scott. To be honest, I don’t know anything about the guy so I shouldn’t have posted.
  
  But when I read the line, “Given this, Scott will almost certainly become a highly visible face for Republicans on issues pertaining to race.”, it struck a cord. A line like that could strike many different cords. But for me it was out of tune because my initial thought was, this guy is going to represent me in race relations-lol
  
  Report this comment
Dushman Kush
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:05pm
Goofball Scott, like Goofball Allen West, will be voted out so fast his head will spin.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:29pm
  DUSHMAN KUSH, Take your racist comments and scurry back down to the basement to your X-Box. Yeah, I do know that it is an X-Box. Funny how you sign on to so many sites with the same NAME.
  
  Report this comment
- Bluebonnet
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 1:04pm
  Thank you RJJ: and Thank You Nickki for making an excellent choice. I approve of Tim Scott and am excited that he will do a super job (unlike so many in office now who seem to hate America by how they govern. We have to weed the garden of these hellbent liberals who want to harm ALL of us.)
  
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- hypnos
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 1:06pm
  Hey douchman so you don’t like anyone of color that speaks outside party line propaganda. TROLL
  
  Report this comment
- bay horse 1
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 1:18pm
  I saw that coming 5 miles away,
  Skin color always trumps all
  
  Report this comment
- mercenary4freedom
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 2:07pm
  Whats the matter DOUCHEMAN, you afraid this fine gentelman might change the minds of some of those black dems down on the demorat plantation?
  
  yea, thats what I thought.
  
  Report this comment
- Cymry
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 2:13pm
  dush, why didn’t you just call him an uncle tom like you wanted to? i have a lot of liberal/marxists relatives and they are the most racists/race conscious people alive.
  they have a guilt over-reaction and displace a lot of that guilt on a stereotype (usually white, christian, conservatives) and try to prove that they’re not racists by trying to legislate it out of their dark little closets.
  
  Report this comment
- Anadara
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:01pm
  @deushman… You are a racist troll.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:33pm
  Doucheman MJ
  
  If he is not voted out, will you kick your drug habit?
  
  Report this comment
Shellback
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:55am
5, 4, 3, 2, 1,……. queue up the plantation, uncle tom, and etc remarks, from tolerant Dems and Progressives.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:31pm
  SHELLBACK, Just look above. DUCHEMAN KUSH already started.
  
  Report this comment
jimvet
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:32am
Good choice on Scott—We need lots more like him..

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packa14
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:23am
great choice !!!

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willingtoupe
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:21am
G.O.P’s Affirmative Action. Unelected official. Took 40 years for the G.O.P and since the Reconstruction for the South to have a black Senator. Talk about white guilt.

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- hypnos
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:31am
  What party originally blocked civil rights legislation and what party first offered up a civil rights bill. Democrat and republican respectively. Check out history before you speak
  
  Report this comment
The-Monk
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:18am
Hi BehindBlueEyes,

Thanks. : )

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BehindBlueEyes
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:14am
Hey Monk,
I hope your efforts are successful. These annoying third world thieves need to be shut down. Unfortunately its a whack-a-mole game.

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michael from Ga.
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:09am
Rep. Scott – a g r e a t choice.

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LameLiberals
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:03am
In 2012 I gave campaign money to Tim Scott, Alan West, Michelle Bachman, Mike Hill, Ted Cruz and a few others I cannot remember now. Tim Scott is one of the better GOP member and was on Freedom Watch with Judge Napaliano before Fox pulled it because the judge dared to slam Romney in a primary.

Ted Cruz is the REAL GOP savior. He believs completely in the constitution and wants to get rid of the dept of ed, etc.

In 2012 I gave hundreds of dollars to teh GOP party itself – BUT NO MORE. The GOP lost its way is run by elite RINOs like Jeb Bush, Chris Christy Boener/McCain/Murkowski/Snowe/Collings/Graham, etc RIONs who would be better off leaving the party and going over to the democrat prary.

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joe alexich
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:01am
Good choice,now listen to the message.

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Chromo200
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:35am
I Google’d him and he seems on the right tract .. The Bio did not say Tea Party, but he was for many of the things the Tea party stands for. Let us see what the congressional black caucus will do to him. He will be called “Cornball Brother” and the libs will do to him what they did to Allen West. I hope the people of S.C. will support him.

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- Lordchamp
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 11:15am
  We do and he’s well liked. He’s even from the more liberal part of the state and is still even well liked there also.
  
  Report this comment
Dushman Kush
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:26am
Will he be the first “Republican” Log Cabin Senator? The good citizens of South Carolina will surely vote him OUT at their first opportunity. Long Live the Communist International !!!

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- resme
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:38am
  Meh, I’ve seen better trolls.
  
  Meh.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 4:27pm
  resme
  
  Give Kush a break. He is doing the best he can with a fried brain.
  
  Report this comment
KansasBob
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:17am
I have heard him speak and interviewed and he will be a great addition to the US Senate.

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DZ-015
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:14am
I have to agree with the not so fun guy’s post. If Mr Scott is a good conservative, then he is a great choice. But by posting his picture and providing no information, it looks like The Blaze is focusing on the color of his skin, rather than the content of his character. A news organization should do better than that.

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- qpwillie
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:29am
  Yeah, the Blaze should have posted a picture of a white guy and said it was Tim Scott.
  
  ?????????????
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:36am
  I’ve seen and heard number of interviews with him in the recent past. So far he does seem like a decent conservative and I do like the guy. I did notice this story was sparse regarding his political standing, but it didn’t really dawn on me until I read you post. Not to offer the author or The Blaze cover, but I suppose they may have thought he had enough recent news coverage.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:49am
  Morning RJJ,
  
  I could be that they just heard about it and will do an update some time today. There are a number of Blaze staff that started vacation on Friday so they might be short staffed and also very tired from all the news this last weekend.
  
  Or, now that we know who was chosen we can do as GB recommends…. don’t believe him and do our own homework.
  
  Now…. where’s my coffee !!!
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:02pm
  Morning MONK, Sorry to take so long to get back to this story. That does make more sense, and a number of stories have started off here rather thin and have been updated during the day. Fox has run the story several times already this morning, and each time it seemed more like a teaser than a story. I was just a bit surprised that so few were really that familiar with Congressman Scott. LOL, the media was more interested when Al Green was running. Go figure!
  
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- NOTAMUSHROOM
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:26pm
  DZ,
  Like I was saying………….
  
  Report this comment
Tri-ox
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:04am
Tim Scott is the best choice – Thank you, Governor Haley!

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NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:01am
Ok thanks for the intro.. Now could you please tell us something about him? Thanks so much. Buh bye.

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- Xplorer
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 10:15am
  if you followed the intros prior to this story, then you would realize this story confirms that Nicki is listening to us. thank you and happy lullabies.
  
  Report this comment
- NOTAMUSHROOM
  Posted on December 17, 2012 at 12:22pm
  Dear Mr. X,
  Had I seen any intros PRIOR to this intro I wouldn’t have asked, now would I?
  Geez what a waste of time.
  Buh bye
  
  Report this comment

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