Arizona Senator Jon Kyl is stepping down on Dec. 31st. This after he was appointed by Governor Ducey in September to serve after Senator John McCain passed away. At the time of the appointment, Kyl only promised to serve through the end of the year.
With the resignation Governor Ducey, by law, will have to appoint another Republican to serve in the Senate until a special election is held in 2022. The special election will determine who will serve the rest of the term until 2024.
Kyl won three consecutive Senate elections in Arizona starting in 1994. Kyl retired from the Senate on January 3, 2013.
In a statement, Ducey wrote:
When Jon Kyl returned to the Senate in September, our country faced many critical issues. Arizona needed someone who could hit the ground running from day one and represent our state with experience and confidence – and that’s exactly what Senator Kyl has done. Sen Kyl didn’t need to return to the Senate. 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.