sessions
Sen. Jeff Sessions, a committee member, waits for the beginning of a meeting of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Feb. 2, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange will take over the Senate seat that belonged to Jeff Sessions, who is scheduled to be sworn in Thursday as the U.S.' next attorney general.

"I am greatly honored and humbled to accept the appointment to Alabama's Senate seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Sessions," Strange said in a press release. "Sen. Sessions' commitment to public service is nearly unparalleled in Alabama history and his departure from the Senate leaves tremendous shoes to fill."

It was widely expected Strange would take over for Sessions. Strange, colloquially known as "Big Luther" since he stands nearly 7-feet tall, had played a major role in an ongoing Alabama controversy as he looked into sex scandals involving Gov. Robert Bentley, who has been investigated for an affair with an aide, Politico reported. Bentley denies an affair occurred.

Strange asked the Alabama House Judiciary Committee to halt in November an investigation into impeachment as his office looked into the situation. Bentley, who will appoint Strange's replacement, also appointed the former Alabama attorney general to Sessions' seat.

"This is truly a remarkable time in our state's history," Bentley said in a press release. "Alabama has surely been well represented by Sen. Sessions, and I am confident Sen. Strange will serve as a fine representative for our people. His leadership on a national level, service as a statewide elected official and long record of taking on tough federal issues are the very qualities that will make him a strong conservative Senator for Alabama."

Strange, 63, has been Alabama's attorney general since 2011 and has said he intended to run for Sessions' Senate seat in 2018 whether or not he was named to fill temporarily fill the position. Strange — who is a lawyer and was, in the past, a Washington lobbyist who campaigned alongside Bentley in 2010 — faces a special election in 2018 to see if he can hold on to the seat in the Senate.

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