OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Inouye’s death leaves opening in Senate

{mosads}It’s a double blow to Hawaii, which lost all of its seniority in one year. In addition to Inouye’s death, longtime Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) retired this cycle.

Inouye was third in line for the presidency as president pro tem of the Senate. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the next most senior senator, now takes that slot.

Leahy said he was too distraught to discuss the loss of his friend of four decades and would discuss it later on the floor.

“It’s torn me apart,” he told reporters.

TOMORROW’S AGENDA TODAY: President Obama will attend meetings at the White House.

TWEET OF THE DAY: “Thank you all for the very kind words today. I look forward to serving the great state of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.” — Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We’ll all miss him, and I wish I were capable of saying more, but that’s all I can say.” — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), on the death of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii).

POLL POSITION:

A poll for The Hill, conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, found nearly six in 10 people (59 percent) feel the country is on the wrong track. It also showed people are deeply pessimistic about their chances for future prosperity, with 54 percent saying they believe their children will be worse off as adults than their parents.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE:

CALIFORNIA: Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) could find himself in a rematch in 2014, because his former Democratic primary opponent, Pete Aguilar, is keeping in touch with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rep. Tim Scott‘s (R-S.C.) move to the Senate opens up his House seat for a special election early next year. South Carolina Republicans are already considering contenders for the seat, and although it’s a reliably Republican district, the special election will be the first open election held in the new boundaries. Potential GOP contenders include state Sens. Tom Davis, Paul Campbell, Chip Campsen, Larry Grooms and Chip Limehouse, as well as state Rep. Peter McCoy. Former South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford, too, could run for the seat.

SENATE SHOWDOWN:

KENTUCKY: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is insisting he will run for Senate in 2016, despite  speculation that he would be a top Republican pick for president that year.

MASSACHUSETTS: Former Gov. Michael Dukakis said he isn’t a potential candidate to replace Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in the Senate if President Obama taps Kerry for the secretary of State job.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will be appointed the first African-American senator from South Carolina next year, Gov. Nikki Haley (R) announced Monday. Haley’s selection of Scott, a Tea Party favorite, delighted conservative groups that had sought a strong conservative replacement for Sen. Jim DeMint (R), who is resigning in January to lead the Heritage Foundation. Scott’s appointment could prove beneficial for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is expected to receive a primary challenge from the right in 2014. Scott had been seen as a top contender, but other Republicans in the state — most notably Rep. Mick Mulvaney (S.C.) — are also said to be mulling a run.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

HBO is producing a documentary about former President Clinton by Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese.

Many of the major media organizations that regularly traveled with Mitt Romney‘s presidential campaign are challenging expenses their reporters were billed, saying in a letter they believe the Republican presidential candidate overcharged them.

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