Tagged: Politics

Scott is the only black Republican in Congress. The decision announced Monday makes him the South's first black Republican senator since Reconstruction and only the fourth black Republican ever in the U.S. Senate. 

He takes over for Jim DeMint, who announced earlier this month he would forgo the remaining four years of this term to take the helm of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. His resignation takes effect Jan. 1. 

2012 in Charlotte has been anything but quiet. We've had our share of controversy, scandals, political turmoil, budget woes, and time on the national - and international - stage. Now that the year is coming to an end, we'll gather WFAE news reporters to go through some of the major stories to hit the Queen City this year. Join us for a 2012 News Roundup, when Charlotte Talks.

South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint has announced he's leaving the Senate in January to become president of The Heritage Foundation – a conservative think tank. In a statement, DeMint says he's leaving the Senate but - quote - "not leaving the fight." 

South Carolina Republicans knew Senator DeMint planned to retire after his second term in 2016, but they hoped to have him until then.

"Senator DeMint's been a rock star for us," says South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly. "He's become an icon for the conservative movement nationwide." 

We look at the debate over the looming fiscal cliff. Charlotte has long been seen as a financial hub in America so we'll turn to some of our own local experts to find out exactly what the fiscal cliff is, what the debate is all about, the likely outcome and what impact any deal may have on us all. We examine the fiscal cliff in detail, when Charlotte Talks.