Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley tapped his state’s U.S. Attorney Luther Strange to fill the vacant seat left open by former Sen. Jeff Sessions, now Attorney General of the Department of Justice. Strange, a 63-year old lawyer and D.C. lobbyist, has served as Alabama’s U.S. Attorney since 2011.
According to the Associated Press, Strange targeted Sessions’ former seat last year and announced he would run for it, whether he received Bentley’s appointment or not.
“Alabama has surely been well represented by Senator Sessions, and I am confident Senator Strange will serve as a fine representative for our people. His leadership on a national level, service as a statewide elected official and long record of taking on tough federal issues are the very qualities that will make him a strong conservative Senator for Alabama,” Bentley said in a statement.
Strange will serve out the remainder of Sessions’ term, which expires in January of 2020. Bentley said, however, that the election for the seat will happen in 2018.
Strange accepted the appointment saying he was “greatly honored and humbled.”
“Senator Sessions’ commitment to public service is nearly unparalleled in Alabama history and his departure from the Senate leaves tremendous shoes to fill. I pledge to the people of Alabama to continue the same level of leadership as Jeff Sessions in consistently fighting to protect and advance the conservative values we all care about,” Strange said in a statement.
The new U.S. senator is a graduate of Tulane University and of Tulane Law school. At 6 foot 9, he is sometimes referred to as “Big Luther” because of his size, The AP notes.