Nate Silver has found a Republican that could merit an appointment by Gov. Lynch; The Concord Monitor, cited by Silver, suggests she’d be willing to serve for only two years.
Another possible Republican placeholder being mentioned is former Sen. Warren Rudman. Rudman, a deficit-hawk, did useful post-Senate work as the co-chair with Gary Hart of a pre-9/11 commission on Terrorism. His most lasting effect on the political system was his selling David Souter to the first Bush White House.