E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Updated 12:44 p.m. - South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, an influential Republican who has helped prod his party rightward, will step down from his seat in January to become the next director of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
NBC's Chuck Todd and Kelly O'Donnell discuss the departure of Tea Party favorite from the US Senate, and possible replacements South Carolina Gov. Haley could pick.
DeMint announced Thursday that he planned to succeed Ed Feulner, the longtime head of the Heritage Foundation, next month. The news of his departure was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
"I'm leaving the Senate now, but I'm not leaving the fight. I've decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas," DeMint said in a statement. "No organization is better equipped to lead this fight and I believe my experience in public office as well as in the private sector as a business owner will help Heritage become even more effective in the years to come."
The Heritage Foundation said DeMint's "passion for rigorous research, his dedication to the principles of our nation’s founding, and his ability to translate policy ideas into action make him an ideal choice to lead Heritage to even greater success."
Since being elected to the Senate in 2004, DeMint has not-infrequently clashed with Republican leaders on specific pieces of legislation and the overall direction of the party.
His conservative obstinance made him a hero among the party's grassroots. DeMint wielded that influence through his Senate Conservatives Fund, supporting more ideologically pure candidates over candidates deemed more politically-able by Republican Party leaders.
DeMint had even been rumored in 2011 to be thinking of challenging Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell for the position of Republican leader, though he eventually declined.
Among DeMint's successes through his Senate Conservatives Fund was the championing of senators like Florida's Marco Rubio, Kentucky's Rand Paul, and Utah's Mike Lee. Among DeMint's failures were the two Senate candidates -- Richard Mourdock in Indiana and Todd Akin in Missouri -- who lost their 2012 bids in the wake of controversial remarks about rape.
"I think if you're interested in having Republicans control the Senate you have to back Republicans who fit their state and who can win in a general election not just in the primary," Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, told NBC News about whether there were any lessons from DeMint's tenure on Capitol Hill.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.
DeMint had said he would leave the Senate in 2016, following the completion of his second term, meaning his departure in January will be ahead of schedule.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, another conservative Republican who enjoys grassroots support, will be allowed to name a replacement, who would have to face a special election in 2014 to serve out the remaining two years of DeMint's term. A variety of Republicans could jockey to replace DeMint, from Haley herself to a couple of her allies -- Tedd Pitts, her deputy chief of staff, or State Rep. Nathan Ballentine -- to U.S. Rep. Tim Scott or other members of the state's GOP establishment.
"Looking forward, Governor Haley will now appoint a new Senator, and I know she will make the right choice both for South Carolina and the nation," Scott Said in a statement.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a relatively more moderate Republican who's expected to face a primary challenge, is also up for re-election that fall.
There is also the broader question of who, among the 45 Senate Republicans, will seize the mantle of conservative leadership in the upper chamber. Several of the senators whom DeMint helped elect have modeled their actions after the Palmetto State senator, creating their own political action committees and breaking on occasion with the GOP leadership.
NBC's Tom Curry contributed.
Leave a Comment:
"DeMint will leave Senate to head Heritage Foundation" Where he can make more money and do even less to earn it!
another good person fed up with dealing with the current white house and the cheif idiot. hope he helps get this crook out of the white house and replaced with someon who can actually add numbers and speaks at least some truth
LMAO.....replace the President??.....we got bad news for you.....the President has been reelected.....the news on your 1700's bubble need to be updated once in a while....LMAO
They get their news from the fux news. And we all know that is unfair and imbalanced. Yellow (pee yellow) journalism at its finest.
In other words, DeMint, realizing the actual political battle is lost, has decided to make as much money off of conservatism as he can, while it's still popular enough to be marketable. Well played, Mr. DeMint. Well played.
-----------
Given the current intolerance for intolerance, groups like the Heritage Foundation will be 'gone with the wind' soon.
Name a country or civilization that is/was successful in the long term as an "anything goes" society? That is what you are advocating.
Today's world of increasing Liberal socialism can't tell the difference between intolerance and upholding moral values in society. It's a key divide and sad state of affairs for the future of our country.
You sir are a pig.
Brenda--and YOU are a narrow minded bigot.
in 1973, my REPUBLICAN father got a fund raising phone call from the RNC asking for a donation, and to my surprise, his side of the conversation went like this:
"When the Republican Party gets OUT of people's BEDROOMS and back to the business of running the country, I will start donating again."
Forty years later, as a 60 something woman, I have been DISMAYED with many of the candidates the pubs put up, since I am a FISCAL conservative, but a SOCIAL liberal. LESS than 100 years ago, the people who are anti abortion, anti gay rights, etc, ALSO were against women being allowed to vote, AGAINST interracial marriage, integration, etc. Heck, our founding fathers were split between the legitimacy of SLAVERY.
I'd like to think that we are better than that now.
Evidently not.
Brenda - Really? Your only defense is to resort to name calling?
Let's see Rand Paul is no longer in Congress....Armey left the Tea Party for a hefty $8M, now Demint is leaving for a "job".....what's the first thing you hear when the Tea Party ship is sinking??.......these guys know....
More like, America is sinking and conservatives are circling the wagons to prepare a united front to survive the chaos about to ensue as we are ineptly led by President Cliff over the edge of insanity. Happy falling!
One less doucebag in the US Senate.
Now Demint can be just another turd in the pile of the Heritage foundation.
Great, now he and Mark Sanford can start the "Party of Family Values" all over again.
Hey, South Carolina, Can you say Bamboozled?
Keep picking those winners and keep winning those Elections...
So, a right-winged, arrogant, narcissist takes a job that pays him millions of dollars, to espouse the virtues of starving the poor to feed the wealthy.
Sounds like the logical next step for any Republican politician.
This country is $16 trillion in debt and counting and people like yourselves voted for more of it. It is disappointing to me that DeMint would leave the Senate, but it's tough to blame him with the lack of leadership representing the Republican Party.
Even Germany is accepting austerity measures right now to get their financial ship back in order, but the American people lack the character necessary at this time to do the right thing.
By the way I'm finally going to say it... Barack Obama is only 1/4 black and should not be considered our first black president.
So Jeff , now you WANT to be like Europe? LMAO Oh and hey Jeff, I heard the buzzer on the dryer go off. Your sheets are dry. Now hurry and get them on so you won't be late for your lynch.....errr meeting.
Great fit! Heritage Foundation is full of women haters, racists and bullies backed by money from the same.
Hey Senator, I got a kick out of your remark, "I've decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas." Gimme a break, would you? As a member of the Senate for the past 8 years, you were fairly well-positioned to show some strong leadership, but you failed us at every opportunity, didn't you? I frankly doubt you could spell leadership.
And as regards that "battle of ideas" - the last one just ended, and you and your wingnut cronies got your backsides handed to you. In fact, that's why you're becoming a lobbyist, isn't it? Because you can see the handwriting on the wall. You can see that the Tea Party's influence, in general, and your influence, in particular, are on the wane. For all practical purposes, you and your dumbass ideas are already halfway out the door.
But hey, don't go away mad, Senator - just go away. Go join your handlers in the lobby, where you'll become even less admired than you already are. We'll see you in the funny papers.
Now, who says there's no Santa Claus?
'Mo Money !!
Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus. I believe he is a commie because he GIVES away to toys to lazy children who should be working. He wears red, and he likes animals. But now he has taken out a bagger. Hooray. Thank you and HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
Good reddens!!
Another reptard thrown out, skidding on his ass through the door! Now, just a few more teabaggers to go and we'll regain control. This election must have felt like an enema gone wrong for DeMint. I hope that the other reptards will now straighted up and knuckle under to the President's plans. We told them clearly in November and they better listen or they'll be out too.
Another bible thumper cult bagger gone
here is one sorry,anti-american,lieing,tea baggin,low rent,hypocrite!!!!!will miss him like another set of hemoroids!!! anyone think the screw ball gov haley will appoint a BLACK guy,[scott] to that seat???????????? if so,get back on your space ship and go back where you came from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! p.s. must have got caught with his hand in the COOKIE JAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Conservative think tank" is an oxymoron.
Tea tards
Go back to hell,it's,the only place you call home
The Heritage Foundation is a Think Tank??? ha...ha...
Retards are us welcome to the tea bagging talaban
Its a stink tank,,
Quitting 2 years in a 6 year term - highly irregular! I wonder what scandal is he in?
I wonder if he could be convinced to take Rep. Virginia Fox, of North Carolina, with him as an Administrative Assistant?
Would you want that witch following you to a new job? It would be nice but I doubt it.