Though South Carolina voters may want Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert to fill the seat of outgoing Senator Jim DeMint, Gov. Nikki Haley didn’t include him on her “short-list” of five potential replacements.

The Hill reported that Haley publicly “thanked” Colbert on Facebook for his interest in serving as a Senator, but told him, “You forget one thing, my friend. You didn’t know our state drink. Big, big mistake.”

Apparently, the state drink is milk. Sorry, Colbert, you’ve been ruled out.

Interestingly, the Governor used Facebook again to announce Monday that she would not consider appointing a “placeholder,” senator – someone who would agree not to run again in 2014. Haley wrote on her Facebook page:

As I continue to consider the impending U.S. Senate vacancy, many have discussed the possibility of a ‘placeholder’ appointee who would pledge to serve for only two years and not seek election to the seat in 2014. While there are some good arguments in favor of that approach, I believe the better case is against it.

I do not want to tie the next U.S. Senator from South Carolina’s hands regarding future office. I do not want to deprive our state’s citizens of the chance to render their judgment on the appointee’s performance by way of their vote. Most importantly, while I am an avid supporter of term limits, I do not want the effectiveness of our state’s new U.S. Senator to be undermined by the fact that he or she will automatically be leaving the office such a very short time after assuming it.

I believe South Carolina will be best served by a U.S. Senator who will work hard day in and day out, and put him or herself before the voters at the soonest possible time. Accordingly, I reject the option of a ‘placeholder.’

An article from CNN on Tuesday said Haley’s “final choices for the seat are Rep. Tim Scott, Rep. Trey Gowdy, former state Attorney General Henry McMaster, former South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford and Catherine Templeton, a conservative attorney chosen by Haley to head the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.”

Multiple news sources speculate the favorite is Rep. Tim Scott, a “favorite of national grassroots conservatives,” while, you will recall, Jenny Sanford is the ex-wife of the former Gov. who disappeared for days with his mistress in Argentina.

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Janeen Capizola

"And though she be but little, she is fierce." And fun! This conservative-minded political junkie, mom of three, dancer and one-time NFL cheerleader holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science. [email protected]. Twitter: @JaneenBPR

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