In the Senate: Trent Lott retires
The Patriot Post
Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS), who returned to the GOP leadership last November after spending more than four years in the political wilderness due to his unfortunate and vastly overblown comments at Strom Thurmond’s 100th birthday in 2002, announced his retirement this week. Lott pledged to be out of office by the end of the year, prompting speculation that he is looking to dodge the two-year ban on congressional lobbying by former members of Congress. He rejected the idea (we shall soon see), asserting that he ran for re-election last year only because he wanted to stay on to ensure Mississippi’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina. All things considered, we can’t say we’ll miss the former Ole Miss cheerleader.
Lott’s sudden departure has set off a race to replace him both in the Senate and its GOP leadership. Rep. Charles Pickering may be appointed by Republican Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat until November 2008, when a Republican, again probably Pickering, is likely to win the election to fill the four remaining years of Lott’s term. It is likely that Conference Chairman Jon Kyl (AZ) will replace Lott as minority whip and that Lamar Alexander (TN) will replace Kyl as Conference Chairman.
In next November’s election, Republicans will have to defend 22 Senate seats, while the Democrats need defend only 12. Lott’s is the latest of several high-profile retirements that have handicappers speculating that senior Republicans don’t think highly of their chances to regain the Senate. Senate Democrats had $23.4 million in the bank by the end of October, compared to only $9.5 million for the Republicans. In the House, the fundraising gap is even larger, with Democrats holding a $26.44-million edge over the GOP. However, public approval of the Demo-led Congress is near a record low, and all the liberal posturing has produced little in the way of constructive legislation. A year from now, anything could happen.
Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS), who returned to the GOP leadership last November after spending more than four years in the political wilderness due to his unfortunate and vastly overblown comments at Strom Thurmond’s 100th birthday in 2002, announced his retirement this week. Lott pledged to be out of office by the end of the year, prompting speculation that he is looking to dodge the two-year ban on congressional lobbying by former members of Congress. He rejected the idea (we shall soon see), asserting that he ran for re-election last year only because he wanted to stay on to ensure Mississippi’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina. All things considered, we can’t say we’ll miss the former Ole Miss cheerleader.
Lott’s sudden departure has set off a race to replace him both in the Senate and its GOP leadership. Rep. Charles Pickering may be appointed by Republican Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat until November 2008, when a Republican, again probably Pickering, is likely to win the election to fill the four remaining years of Lott’s term. It is likely that Conference Chairman Jon Kyl (AZ) will replace Lott as minority whip and that Lamar Alexander (TN) will replace Kyl as Conference Chairman.
In next November’s election, Republicans will have to defend 22 Senate seats, while the Democrats need defend only 12. Lott’s is the latest of several high-profile retirements that have handicappers speculating that senior Republicans don’t think highly of their chances to regain the Senate. Senate Democrats had $23.4 million in the bank by the end of October, compared to only $9.5 million for the Republicans. In the House, the fundraising gap is even larger, with Democrats holding a $26.44-million edge over the GOP. However, public approval of the Demo-led Congress is near a record low, and all the liberal posturing has produced little in the way of constructive legislation. A year from now, anything could happen.
posted by Andy W. Rogers | 1:40 PM
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