This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20628992

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Tea Party US senator DeMint quits Jim DeMint, Tea Party US senator, quits
(34 minutes later)
US Republican senator and Tea Party champion Jim DeMint is resigning to join a conservative think tank.US Republican senator and Tea Party champion Jim DeMint is resigning to join a conservative think tank.
His office said the South Carolina politician would become president of the Heritage Foundation next month.His office said the South Carolina politician would become president of the Heritage Foundation next month.
The 61-year-old Republican was first elected to the Senate in 2004 and won a second term in last month's elections.The 61-year-old Republican was first elected to the Senate in 2004 and won a second term in last month's elections.
South Carolina's Republican Governor, Nikki Haley, will appoint his successor, who will serve until a 2014 special election.South Carolina's Republican Governor, Nikki Haley, will appoint his successor, who will serve until a 2014 special election.
Senator DeMint will reportedly exchange his Senate salary of $174,000 (£108,000) for one in the region of $1m. As the state is solidly Republican, the balance of power is not expected to change in the Senate with Sen DeMint's resignation. Democrats have 55 of the 100 seats in the upper chamber.
Popular with Tea Party activists, the staunch conservative at times clashed even with the Republican leadership. In a statement, Gov Haley said: "On a personal level, I value Jim's leadership and friendship. Our state's loss is the Heritage Foundation's gain."
The senator led opposition to President Barack Obama's healthcare reform. Sen DeMint will reportedly exchange his Senate salary of $174,000 (£108,000) for one in the region of $1m.
Popular with Tea Party activists, the staunch conservative at times clashed with the Republican leadership.
This week, he rebuffed Republican House Speaker John Boehner's proposal during fiscal cliff negotiations that offered $800bn in new taxes.
Sen DeMint said Mr Boehner's offer would "destroy jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more, while not reducing our $16tn debt by a single penny".
The senator - who previously served in the US House of Representatives for three terms - also led opposition to President Barack Obama's healthcare reform.
"If we're able to stop Obama [on healthcare]," Mr DeMint said in 2009, "it will be his Waterloo.""If we're able to stop Obama [on healthcare]," Mr DeMint said in 2009, "it will be his Waterloo."
But the healthcare reform became law in 2010 and was upheld by the US Supreme Court this year.But the healthcare reform became law in 2010 and was upheld by the US Supreme Court this year.
In a statement, Sen DeMint said he believes he will be able to share his conservative views with a wider audience at the Heritage Foundation.
"I'm leaving the Senate now, but I'm not leaving the fight," he said. "I've decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas."
Sen DeMint had already said he would not run for re-election, meaning his term would have ended in January 2017. But his announcement to earlier was a surprise.