Jon Kyl appointed to take John McCain’s Senate seat

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is appointing former U.S. Sen Jon Kyl to take the Senate seat of the late John McCain. Ducey confirmed the pick in a tweet Tuesday, and formally announced it in a news conference in Arizona.

Ducey said they all hoped this day would never come, but it has come. There is “no replacing” McCain, but the law requires him to find a replacement, and the people of Arizona deserve someone to represent them, Ducey said in the news conference.

“I am deeply grateful to Senator Kyl for agreeing to succeed his friend and colleague of so many years. Every single day that Jon Kyl represents #Arizona in the U.S. Senate is a day our state is well-served. #KylforAZ,” Ducey tweeted.

Kyl and McCain served together for a time in the Senate.

“John Kyl is a dear friend of mine and John’s. It’s a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona,” Cindy McCain tweeted Tuesday.

Retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, who succeeded Kyl, called him an “excellent choice.”

Kyl, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1995-2013, has been one of the “sherpas” escorting Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh through the Senate confirmation process. He also spoke at the brief ceremony at the Arizona Capitol last week before the public was invited in to see McCain lying in state.

Many wondered whether Ducey might appoint a member of McCain’s family, either his wife, Cindy, or daughter, Meghan, to take his seat.

This is a developing story and will be updated. 

— CBS News’ Christina Ruffini, Ed O’Keefe and Nancy Cordes contributed to this report