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When governors are put in the position of appointing a replacement for an elected representative, they face a problem of a potential partial loss in perceived legitimacy. If they appoint an unknown, the public can very easily become suspicious that their process of representation has been corrupted by what might be inside dealings of one sort or another. One way for governors to appeal to a semblance of demonstrated popular support for their choices of replacement federal legislators (perhaps always Senators?) is to make use of family names or family members known for their service to the state or at least to the country.
