Kelly Loeffler was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday evening as Georgia’s next senator and the second female senator in Georgia history.
Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her to replace U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson last month. Isakson retired because of his health.
Loeffler was a controversial choice, because President Donald Trump and other conservative advocates and politicians had backed U.S. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia for the Senate appointment.
Loeffler is a wealthy businesswoman without political experience who calls herself a lifelong Republican.
She grew up as the fourth generation of corn and soybean farmers in Illinois and moved to Georgia nearly two decades ago to work for Intercontinental Exchange, which owns financial and commodity exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange.
