And yet another House Republican decides that life in the minority is a total bummer:
The dean of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, Rep. Richard Baker, has decided to step down from Congress after 22 years to take a lucrative job in the private sector representing investors he has spent a career regulating.
[…]
It is possible that the election to fill Baker’s seat could be held March 8, the same day as the first party primary to fill the vacancy of former Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, who was inaugurated as governor Monday.
A spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said he would recommend to Jindal today that the primary for Baker’s 6th District seat coincide with that for the 1st District. It will be up to Jindal to call the election.
Go Don Cazayoux!
Bears an eeerie similarity to the departure of Billy Tauzin, another LA Republican, who also left to become head lobbyist for one of the industry’s he regulated. Tauzin, happily enough, was replaced by Democrat Charlie Melancon. The senior GOP member from LA is now a turncoat Democrat (Rodney Alexander).
The 3 ties IL and OH for voluntary departures. OH also had one vacancy due to death since filled.
NJ, CA, NM and MS have 2 each.
PA, MN, AL, AZ, CO, and WY have one retirement.
GA and VA had vacancies due to the untimely deaths of Charlie Norwood and Jo Ann Davis.