Senate to Elect Lt. Gov as Leatherman Tries to Keep His Power

Sen. Kevin Bryant practing speech before senate session begins to elect new pro tempore and Lt. Gov Gabrielle Franklin/Twitter

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The state Senate will essentially elect South Carolina’s next lieutenant governor following Henry McMaster’s ascension to the governor’s office.

The state constitution calls for the Senate’s leader to fill a vacancy created in the lieutenant governor’s office. But Florence Sen. Hugh Leatherman has refused to step into the largely ceremonial position.

Leatherman resigned as Senate president pro tem Tuesday evening, minutes before U.S. senators began voting to confirm then-Gov. Nikki Haley as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The Senate on Wednesday will elect a new president pro tem, who will then immediately be sworn in as lieutenant governor.

That’s expected to be Anderson Sen. Kevin Bryant.

Leatherman will then attempt to regain his powerful post. But some senators oppose Leatherman’s moves as sidestepping his constitutional duties.