A senator arrives, and a senator departs this earth in the Morning Jolt…
Great Scott!
…Glenn Reynolds: “SO WITH TIM SCOTT’S APPOINTMENT, the GOP has the nation’s only black senator and both of its two Latino governors. Kinda busts the racial narrative, doesn’t it?”
Not only that, but he was appointed to the position by the country’s second Indian-American governor; both of the ones we have are not only Republicans, but Southern conservative Republicans.
The editors of the Wall Street Journal notice: “Mr. Scott’s appointment requires him to stand for a special election in 2014, though he has a record as a House conservative in sync with Palmetto State values and emerged with the Tea Party. It’s also worth noting that the movement deplored by liberals as retrogressive has done more than anything in years to increase diversity in politics—and not merely of thought. Think Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, Susana Martinez of New Mexico, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Ms. Haley herself. The best news is that Senator-designate Scott’s story isn’t about racial grievance and preference. It’s a measure of personal achievement, political conviction and the opportunities available in modern American politics.”
And guess who could be making a comeback in the House race to replace Scott?
Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is mulling a congressional comeback, with sources saying he might join the special election contest for Rep. Tim Scott’s soon-to-be-vacant House seat.
Sanford is “studying” a run for the Charleston-area, GOP-leaning 1st District, which he occupied in the 1990s, said one South Carolina source. The seat will soon be vacant because Republican Gov. Nikki R. Haley on Monday selected freshman Republican Scott to succeed Sen. Jim DeMint, who is resigning in January, just two years into his second term.
Sanford has about $124,000 in his old federal campaign account.
I can think of no better candidate to lead Congress in strengthening relations between the U.S. and Argentina.
Sen. Daniel Inouye, RIP
USA Today: “Democrat Daniel Inouye, the U.S. Senate’s most senior member and a Medal of Honor recipient for his bravery during World War II, has died. He was 88. He died of respiratory complications and had been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center since earlier this month. His office said his last word was “Aloha,” the traditional Hawaiian word for ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye.’”
In Hawaii, Inouye’s replacement will be appointed by Governor Neil Abercrombie. Under state law, the governor’s appointee must be of the same political party as that of the vacating senator; the governor makes an appointment by selecting from a list of three prospective appointees submitted by the state party. Inouye was reelected in 2010, so the Hawaii elections will work a bit like the setup in South Carolina with Sen. Jim DeMint’s departure: a special Senate election will be held in 2014 where the appointee may choose to run; whoever wins that election will serve another two years and face reelection for a full six-year term in 2016.