Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a founding member of the Senate Tea Party Caucus, announced Thursday he will resign from office in January to become president of The Heritage Foundation.

Recent credit union experience with DeMint was his move to stall S. 3392, a bill that would eliminate the ATM placard disclosure requirement and stop frivolous lawsuits against banks and credit unions when the signs are missing or have been vandalized.

That bill was combined with a measure that would legally protect confidential information provided to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but it stalled when DeMint put it on hold while pushing for a complete repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Even though DeMint had previously announced he would retire in 2016, the announcement came as a shock on Capitol Hill.

“I'm leaving the Senate now, but I'm not leaving the fight. I've decided to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas,” DeMint said in a statement.

Per South Carolina law, Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said she will select a replacement to fill DeMint's seat until a special election can be held in 2014. DeMint was four years into his second term.