• Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey will appoint former Sen. John Kyl to fill the vacant seat left by John McCain, who died on August 25.
  • Kyl represented Arizona in the US Senate for 18 years, until current Sen. Jeff Flake replaced him in 2013.

Former Arizona Sen. John Kyl will return to Washington as the replacement for the late Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republic reported Tuesday afternoon.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey will announce Tuesday that he will appoint Kyl to serve in the seat left vacant after McCain passed away in August, after having notified McCain’s family and other political officials, the Republic added.

The report also noted that Kyl, who served in the US Senate for 18 years until being replaced by Jeff Flake in 2013, will serve in the role until the end of the year and it will be up to him if he wants to continue. If not, Ducey could appoint another individual to the seat.

“There is no one in Arizona more prepared to represent our state in the U.S. Senate than Jon Kyl,” Ducey said in a statement. “He understands how the Senate functions and will make an immediate and positive impact benefiting all Arizonans. I am deeply grateful to Senator Kyl for agreeing to succeed his friend and college of so many years.”

"Every single day that Jon Kyl represents Arizona in the United States Senate is a day when our state is being well-served," he added.

McCain's wife, Cindy, wrote on Twitter that she is supportive of Kyl's appointment to the seat.

"Jon Kyl is a dear friend of mine and John's," she wrote. "It's a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona."

The move to appoint Kyl to the seat comes days after McCain's funeral and a week of ceremonies and events honoring the longtime senator and war hero.

McCain was buried at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on Sunday.