Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey now has to appoint an interim senator who will serve until a special election is held in 2020. (The window closed on May 30 for a special election this year.)
By law, Ducey can’t appoint himself, and said he won’t. At first, you might expect him to go with a rising young GOP star, but he may prefer a caretaker, especially if he intends to run for the seat himself in 2022. (Ducey faces a competitive re-election race this year.)
There’s already speculation he may appoint Cindy McCain to her late husband’s seat.
Whatever he does, Nate Silver thinks he’ll act quickly after the funeral, followed by a prompt swearing in. Senate Republicans may need that vote when they bring Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination to a floor vote, which they hope to do before the midterm elections.