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

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