Washington, Sep 4 (EFE).- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday the appointment of former Sen. Jon Kyl to fill the US Senate seat left vacant by the death of John McCain.
Kyl represented Arizona in the Senate alongside McCain for three terms and rose to became the deputy leader of the Republicans in the upper chamber before retiring in 2013.
While McCain’s six-year term runs until the end of 2020, the Republican governor said Tuesday that he doesn’t know whether Kyl will occupy the seat until the election of a successor in two years.
If Kyl decides to step down at the end of the current legislature in December, Ducey will have to appoint someone else.
McCain, who died Aug. 25 after a battle against brain cancer, was re-elected in 2016.
Others mentioned as possible successors include McCain’s widow, Cindy; Kirk Adams, Ducey’s chief of staff; and former Arizona state legislator Barbara Barrett, the first woman to run for governor of the southwestern state.
“Jon Kyl is a dear friend of mine and John’s. It’s a great tribute to John (McCain) that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona,” Cindy McCain said on Twitter after learning of the appointment.