Poor Trent Lott. With his home destroyed he may decide not to run for reelection.
Among the factors tempting him to call it quits: His career in Congress has already crested, and Hurricane Katrina destroyed his family home — which doubled as his retirement nest egg — in Pascagoula. Lott has no personal wealth and is about to turn 64. If he serves another six years in the Senate, he may or may not have the energy for a lucrative stint in the private sector.
Everyone deserves the right to a lucrative stint in the private sector. Especially policians that do the private sector’s bidding on taxes and regulation and then take no-work jobs upon leaving office. But Trent’s Congressional career may not have truly crested:
On the other hand, Lott’s formidable legislative skills have never been more needed, as Mississippi tries to recover from the devastating storm. Nor is it out of the question that Lott could return to leadership, especially if Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who currently holds the Senate’s No. 3 GOP post, loses his reelection bid next year, as polls suggest he might.
So, I guess I shouldn’t keep my eye out for Trent visiting Pennsylvania anytime soon. It seems he’d love to see Man-on-Dog get routed out of office.
That’s one thing I have in common with Trent Lott.
If it looks like Santorum is going to win then it appears Lott will call it quits and get rich. In that case there is an outside chance that the Dems could pick up his seat.
Two likely contenders: African-American, former Agriculture Secretary, Mike Espy. And Rep. Gene Taylor.
Author: BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly.
He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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