Opinion: Surprise: GOP gov. names GOP rep. to replace GOP senator

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Here, believe it or not, is something that has nothing to do with Iowa. But it’s short.

Remember how Mississippi’s Sen. Trent Lott suddenly announced his retirement in November, just a year after his reelection? Well, Mississippi’s Gov. Haley Barbour has named Lott’s at least temporary replacement, 56-year-old Rep. Roger Wicker, a 13-year House veteran who once served as a state senator and then counsel to Lott.

Wicker will serve until a special election next November to fill the remaining four years of Lott’s term, which creates the unusual circumstance of a state’s voters electing both senators in the same election. Senate veteran Thad Cochran seeks a sixth term in 2008 and is favored, as will be Wicker in the strongly Republican state.

A special election will be held next spring to fill Wicker’s 1st District House seat.

And now back to our normal caucus programming.

-- Andrew Malcolm