Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie will announce the replacement for the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, on Wednesday, according a report from CBS News.
Inouye, a World War II hero and the second-longest serving Senator in American history, passed away last Monday of respiratory complications.
The relatively quick replacement process comes after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., urged Abercrombie to appoint Inouye's successor with "due haste."
"It is critically important to ensure that the people of Hawaii are fully represented in the pivotal decisions the Senate will be making before the end of the year," Reid said in a statement on Saturday.
The State Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii is holding a meeting Wednesday to select three candidates to fill the seat.
Citing a Democratic source, CBS said Abercrombie will make his choice and announce it Wednesday afternoon, with the appointee potentially catching a ride to Washington with President Barack Obama on Air Force One.
After spending the holidays in Hawaii, Obama is heading back to Washington on Wednesday in order to get back to work on negotiating an agreement to avoid the looming fiscal cliff.
According to CBS, at least a dozen people have expressed an interest in Inouye's seat, including Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, Rep.-elect Tulsi Gabbard, former Rep. Ed Case, and a few state senators.
Inouye reportedly sent a letter to Abercrombie before he passed away urging him to appoint Hanabusa as his successor.
Abercrombie's choice as Inouye's successor will serve a two-year term before having to run in a special election in 2014.
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