Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday picked fellow Republican and former Sen. Jon Kyl to succeed Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainCindy McCain endorses Biden: He's only candidate 'who stands up for our values' Biden says Cindy McCain will endorse him Biden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states MORE (R-Ariz.) in the Senate ahead of 2020, when a special election will be held for a permanent successor.

Ducey hailed Kyl during a news conference in Phoenix, saying the former senator who served alongside McCain for nearly two decades was best suited to take McCain's place ahead of the special election.

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“As I contemplated who could best serve our state in the U.S. Senate, I kept coming back to one name and one person: Jon Kyl,” Ducey said.

Kyl, who left the Senate in 2013, said he will serve at least until the end of this Congress in January, but has not committed to serving in 2019 and 2020. He told reporters Tuesday that he has no interest in running for the seat come 2020.

“I’m willing to serve certainly through the end of this session at least to make sure that the business that is currently ongoing is taken care of,” Kyl said. “But I don’t want to make a commitment beyond that.”

McCain's wife, Cindy McCain, offered praise for Kyl on Twitter ahead of the press conference on Tuesday, calling him "a dear friend of mine and John’s."

"It’s a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona," she wrote.