RATHCLAN, S. Ceona -- In his first official act since taking office, newly-elected South Ceona Gov. Mike Lembcke (C) appointed Jane Karsten to fill a vacant Senate seat.
The seat was previously held by Lembcke himself, and upon his election to the governorship, the seat became vacant.
Lembcke's Senate term is not set to expire until 2024.
With the seat up for grabs in less than two years, state law requires a governor to appoint a replacement in lieu of a special election.
Karsten, a fellow Conservative from Fairfield, is a former lieutenant governor who served under former governor Greg Laskie (C).
Lembcke considered several individuals for the appointment, including former Senator Craig Svenson and former unsuccessful Senate candidate Scotch Harrison.
Sources close to Lembcke say he was reticent to choose Svenson, who is somewhat gaffe-prone and a political lightning rod for criticism.
And Lembcke views Harrison, a moderate, as too liberal and unpredictable.
The governor settled on Karsten, in part, because she's a woman, she's photogenic, and a reliable Conservative vote, sources say, though the sources GNN spoke with stressed Karsten was not chosen simply because of her gender.
In 2018, Karsten toyed with leaving her post as lieutenant governor and running for Senate. However, she ultimately chose to seek re-election with Laskie.
The two lost to Nationalists Brett Ratenzy and Nancy Droll, respectively.
Now, Karsten, 62, is set to become the first woman to represent South Ceona in the Federal Senate since statehood.
It's unclear if Karsten plans to run for the seat permanently in 2024, or simply hold the seat temporarily until a different long-term successor is chosen.
Karsten is set to be sworn in at the capitol on Monday, February 27.
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