Courtesy of Mish.
Following the dismal results of Republicans in the last election, and amidst all the Republican infighting over the fiscal cliff comes startling news DeMint resigns from Senate to run Heritage Foundation.
Sen. Jim DeMint said Thursday he’ll resign from the Senate to go run the Heritage Foundation, the powerhouse conservative think tank that dominates Republican policy circles.
“It’s been an honor to serve the people of South Carolina in United States Senate for the past eight years, but now it’s time for me to pass the torch to someone else and take on a new role in the fight for America’s future,” Mr. DeMint said in a statement announcing the news.
He will step down from the Senate in January and will take over for Heritage President Edwin J. Feulner in April.
Mr. DeMint, a tea party favorite who became a major electoral force in the 2010 elections, helping promote tea party candidates in primaries against establishment GOP favorites, said he’s ready to shift to the policy arena.
He said he never intended for the Senate to be a career for him. He previously served six years in the House and won election to the Senate in 2004 and re-election in 2010.
South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, a Republican will get to appoint a replacement so the seat will remain in Republican hands.
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DeMint: “I’ve decided to join the Heritatage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas”
DeMint Seeks to “Harden the Jello”
The Financial Times has some interesting comments in DeMint resigns from US Senate.
Mr DeMint’s departure comes amid difficult budget negotiations over the US fiscal cliff, $600bn worth of tax increases and spending cuts that are triggered on January 1 unless the White House and Republicans can reach a deal.
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