The State from Columbia, South Carolina • A1

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25 2017 $1.00 VOL. 126TH, No. 343STAY CONNECTED THESTATE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/THESTATENEWS TWITTER.COM/@THESTATE USC BASEBALL Brandon McIlwain expected to play baseball only this spring, 1B BASKETBALL Hot-shooting Gamecocks thrash Auburn as seniors shine, 1B TODAY: MOSTLY SUNNY HI 72 LO 54 YESTERDAY: HI 68 LO 46 PRECIP. (as of 5 p.m.) FORECAST, 2A Business 7A Best Bets 2A Classifieds 7B Comics 5B Local 3A Lotteries 2A Nation 4A Obituaries 3C Opinion 2C DEAL OLD MILL BREWPUB $10 for $20 towards food and drink! Get the deal of the day at dealsaver.com/columbia. xit Gov.

Nikki Haley. Enter Gov. Henry McMaster. South lieutenant governor became its governor Tuesday, within an hour of Haley being confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and re- signing from her job as the chief executive.

After the U.S. Senate voted 96-4 to confirm ap- pointment by President Donald Trump, McMaster and Haley appeared at the State House with S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Don Beatty in a ceremo- nial transfer of power. McMaster, 69, thanked Haley for her contribution to the state and said he is honor- ed and deeply appreciative of being granted one of the rarest opportunities to serve the people of my state, my home and that of my forefathers. prosperity, success and happiness will be ours, and we will serve as a beacon of in- spiration for McMaster added, not taking questions from reporters.

A Columbia Republican elect- ed lieutenant governor in 2014, McMaster took the oath of of- fice Tuesday despite not being required to do so. Under the state Constitution, the lieuten- ant governor automatically becomes governor when a va- cancy occurs in the high- est office. McMaster said little Tuesday about his plans as governor. The leaders of state agencies that form the Cabi- net all appointed by fellow Republican Haley are staying on board in the new adminis- tration, office con- firmed Tuesday. That includes Commerce Department Secre- tary Bobby Hitt, credited, with Haley, with attracting thousands of new jobs to the state.

Also, McMaster and wife Peggy plan to move into the Mansion as soon as possible. The pair live in a home on Senate Street, near the Uni- versity of South Carolina cam- pus. Haley gets UN post; McMaster is governor Senate confirms Haley 96-4 as ambassador; she resigns as governor; McMaster sworn in TIM DOMINICK Nikki Haley congratulates new Gov. Henry McMaster on Tuesday after McMaster is sworn in. Haley now becomes U.S.

ambassador to the United Nations. BY JAMIE SELF MORE INSIDE Embattled S.C. House member resigns, 3A Senators quiz U.S. Rep. Mulvaney about budget job, 3A ONLINE thestate.com: Watch McMaster's swearing-in ceremony.

SEE HALEY, 6A Kevin Bryant a founding member of the state libertarian Wallace known for his un- flinching support of pro-life legislation, school choice, traditional marriage and limit- ed government soon will be only a heartbeat away from becoming S.C. governor. S.C. senators are expected to elevate the 49-year-old Anderson Republican on Wednesday to be South Car- next lieutenant gover- nor. Bryant is the only senator to publicly lobby for the job, and his colleagues say he has the votes to be elected.

Senate Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, Who is Kevin Bryant, next lieutenant governor? TRACY GLANTZ Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson BY AVERY G. WILKS SEE BRYANT, 6A S.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman resigned Tuesday in order to avoid becoming the lieutenant governor. The most powerful politician, Leatherman who chairs the powerful budget-writing Finance Com- mittee said in November he was not in- terested in becoming lieu- tenant gover- nor, an essen- tially powerless position.

The question of who would be South lieutenant governor became urgent Tues- day when Gov. Nikki Haley was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Haley then resigned, elevat- ing Lt.

Gov. Henry McMaster, R-Richland, to the post of governor. That move vacated the lieutenant post. Last week, however, the S.C. Supreme Court ruled the Senate president pro tempore Leatherman resigns powerful Senate post BY CASSIE COPE SEE LEATHERMAN, 6A Leatherman.