< ! -- On December 15 , 2012 , several news outlets reported that President Barack Obama would nominate Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State , after Susan Rice , widely seen as Obama 's preferred choice , withdrew her name from consideration citing a politicized confirmation process following criticism of her response to the 2012 Benghazi attack . On December 21 , Obama proposed the nomination which received positive commentary . His confirmation hearing took place on January 24 , 2013 , before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , the same panel where he first testified in 1971 . The committee unanimously voted to approve him on January 29 , 2013 , and the same day the full Senate confirmed him on a vote of 94 – 3 . In a letter to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick , Kerry announced his resignation from the Senate effective February 1
2012 Benghazi attack
2012 Benghazi attack
John Kerry