The special-election Senate seat was formerly held by Republican Jim DeMint, who resigned on January 2, 2013, to become president of The Heritage Foundation.

Nikki Haley, the Republican Governor of South Carolina, announced the appointment of U.S. Representative Tim Scott to fill the seat.

On December 6, 2012, Senator Jim DeMint announced his intention to resign effective January 1, 2013, to become the president of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

[1] Nikki Haley, the Governor of South Carolina, appointed a replacement to fill the seat until the special election.

[4] According to sources close to Governor Haley, as of December 11, 2012, she had narrowed the list of potential appointees down to five: Other politicians mentioned as possible replacements for DeMint included U.S.