Updated: February 7, 2014, 12:44 PM
Montana Lt. Gov. John Walsh (D) was appointed by his state’s governor to fill out the rest of former Sen. Max Baucus’s (D-MT) Senate term.
Walsh, who had already been running for Senate, was appointed by Gov. Steve Bullock (D) on Friday. Walsh will fill out Baucus’s term until it expires in 2015.
“Today, My friend and my colleague embarks on a new mission. I introduce to you United States Senator John Walsh,” Bullock said at a press conference on Friday.
The appointment comes a day after Baucus was confirmed as ambassador to China.
Walsh said he would focus on four specific issues as senator: “taking care of Montanans and their families, creating jobs for Montanans, improving our economy, reducing our debt, and making sure our civil liberties were looked after. So those are the issues that I’m going to go back to Washington D.C. and focus on.”
Walsh had long been rumored to be the likely replacement for Baucus.
Walsh is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday.
