A longtime political advisor to incoming Vice President Joe Biden was sworn in as his replacement Friday. Ted Kaufman (Democrat from Delaware) will take over Biden's seat until elections in 2010, but he has said he will not run for reelection. Kaufman served on Biden's Senate staff from 1973 to 1994, including 19 years as chief of staff, and has held senior positions in all of Biden's national campaigns. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat from Nevada) introduced Kaufamn, but said “No one ever will fill the shoes of Joe Biden.” He added that Kaufman “knows he has to be Ted Kaufman, not Joe Biden, and he will do that.” Biden's seat is widely expected to eventually end up in the hands of his son Beau, the current attorney general of Delaware. Beau Biden was unable to succeed his father immediately because he is part of a National Guard unit being deployed to Iraq, but he is expected to run for the position in 2010.
