Tim Scott is on Trump’s VP short list. What happens if he leaves the Senate? • SC Daily Gazette

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott is reportedly on Donald Trump’s brief record of candidates to affix his ticket, elevating the query of who would exchange South Carolina’s junior senator — and the way.

Scott has been thought-about a possible working mate for Trump since he dropped out in November, when the GOP presidential discipline was nonetheless crowded. However hypothesis actually ramped up after Scott’s on-stage endorsement of Trump two months later. Scott’s been such an enthusiastic supporter, Trump has stated the senator’s a greater campaigner for him than Scott was for himself.

“He did properly (within the main), however he wasn’t as forceful as he’s, as a result of he doesn’t wish to discuss himself. So attention-grabbing,” Trump stated at a rally in North Charleston in February.

Hypothesis could finish Thursday night time.

Trump has teased that he “almost certainly” would announce his decide for vice chairman throughout his televised debate with President Joe Biden in Atlanta.

If Trump chooses Scott, and their ticket wins in November, South Carolina’s subsequent U.S. senator would take workplace the identical method Scott did in 2013.

By state legislation, the governor replaces any U.S. senator who leaves workplace earlier than the time period ends. The interim appointment lasts by way of the subsequent normal election, thought-about a particular election for the Senate seat, based on the state Elections Fee.

In December 2012, then-Gov. Nikki Haley appointed Scott to switch U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of Greenville, who resigned two years into his six-year time period to steer the Heritage Basis, a conservative assume tank.

Scott had simply gained re-election to the coastal 1st Congressional District. However as a substitute of beginning a second time period within the U.S. Home, the previous Charleston County Council chairman was sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2013, changing into the South’s first Black Republican senator since Reconstruction.

Preserving the seat required going by way of the common election course of in 2014. Scott gained the GOP main that June by an 80-percentage-point landslide, then beat his Democratic challenger by 24 factors that November to meet the remainder of DeMint’s time period.

Scott then trounced his competitors in 2016 to win his first full time period. He had one other simple win in 2022 for a Senate race he’s stated was his final.

If Scott leaves the U.S. Senate after November — equally two years right into a six-year time period — Gov. Henry McMaster would appoint his alternative.

South Carolina is one in every of 37 states that makes use of a gubernatorial appointment to fill Senate vacancies till a normal election. Of these, 10 require the governor to nominate an interim of the identical political get together because the departing senator, based on the Congressional Analysis Service. 

South Carolina doesn’t mandate that events match. Nevertheless, it’s a provided that McMaster, a former state Republican Social gathering chairman, would appoint a Republican.  

On this hypothetical state of affairs, ought to McMaster’s appointee wish to keep within the Senate, the interim would face a possible main and normal election in 2026 to serve out the rest of Scott’s time period by way of 2028.

McMaster had no touch upon whether or not he had any candidates in thoughts to switch Scott.

“It could be untimely at this level to make plans,” McMaster spokesman Brandon Charochak stated Wednesday. 

A spokesperson for Scott declined to remark.

It’s attainable for governors to take a Senate seat for themselves when a emptiness happens. However voters usually don’t look kindly on that.

It’s occurred solely as soon as in South Carolina.

In April 1965, then-Gov. Donald Russell resigned following the loss of life of U.S. Sen. Olin Johnston, permitting Russell’s lieutenant governor to ascend to governor and appoint him to the empty Senate seat.

However Russell didn’t keep within the Senate lengthy.

He was ousted from the seat by Fritz Hollings within the 1966 Democratic main. Hollings not solely fulfilled the remainder of Johnston’s time period however remained South Carolina’s senator for 38 years, making him the eighth longest-serving U.S. senator in historical past as of his loss of life in 2019. (When Hollings retired in 2004, voters elected DeMint to switch him.)