South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced today that she will appoint Rep. Tim Scott to replace outgoing Sen. Jim DeMint.

DeMint is leaving in January to head up The Heritage Foundation.

State law gives Haley the authority to pick the senator's successor. Like DeMint, Scott is also a Tea Party Republican.

Scott will become the only African American currently serving in the Senate and the first black Republican to serve in the upper chamber since the 1970s.

"He earned this seat for what I know he's going to do in making South Carolina and making our country proud," Gov. Haley said.

DeMint echoed the governor's words in a statement issued Monday, calling Scott "a great choice for South Carolina and the nation."