South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has released a statement saying that she doesn't want a temporary placeholder to take Jim DeMint's vacant Senate seat. That sounds like Haley is looking for someone a bit more permanent, like presumed frontrunner Rep. Tim Scott, whose district she'll be visiting for a press conference tomorrow. Haley released a statement this afternoon rejecting that temp idea. "[M]any have discussed the possibility of a ‘placeholder’ appointee who would pledge to serve for only two years and not seek election to the seat in 2014. While there are some good arguments in favor of that approach, I believe the better case is against it," she wrote. That essentially means she's looking for someone a bit more permanent, and to pundits and journalists that means Rep. Tim Scott. ABC News's Amy Walter tweeted:

Sen Tim Scott.. RT @mattmooresc: RT @stephenlargen: .@nikkihaley closes door on "placeholder" Senate appointment bit.ly/TPItIU

— amy walter (@amyewalter) December 10, 2012

And Slate's Dave Weigel:

So, Tim Scott then RT @peterhambycnn: Statement from Nikki Haley says she will NOT appoint a placeholder Senator to replace Jim DeMint

— daveweigel (@daveweigel) December 10, 2012

And there this maybe-purely-coincidental-but-maybe-not event on Haley's schedule tomorrow:

Nikki Haley holding presser tomorrow in Rep. Tim Scott's district. Hmmm....

— Scott Keyes (@smkeyes) December 10, 2012

Sorry, Mr. Colbert.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at aabadsantos at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Alexander Abad-Santos