The new year will bring a new GOP Senator into office for Arizona.
Azcentral reports that U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl has announced he will resign from the Senate on Dec. 31, setting up a second appointment by Gov. Doug Ducey to the Senate seat once occupied by the late John McCain.
A replacement to the Senate seat "will be announced in the near future," according to the Governor's Office.
According to azcentral:
In a statement, Ducey praised Kyl's second stint on Capitol Hill, saying he served with "integrity and statesmanship" as the nation faced important issues.
“Senator Kyl didn’t need to return to the Senate," Ducey said in a statement. "His legacy as one of Arizona’s most influential and important political figures was already without question. But he did return, and I remain deeply grateful for his willingness to step up and serve again when Arizona needed him. I wish him and his family all the best."
Kyl had resigned from the Senate in 2013, but was appointed by the governor to fill McCain's seat following McCain's passing.
Former Congresswoman Martha McSally (R) is expected to be the likely appointment, but the governor’s office has remained tight-lipped about who may be under consideration for the position.