Lordy, they really are dropping like flies, aren’t they? It looks like we can probably add GOP Rep. Richard Baker of Louisiana to the list of Republican retirements in the near future. The Politico has the round-up:
Republican Rep. Richard Baker of Louisiana has filed paperwork with the House Clerk to speak with an investment industry lobby shop, according to WAFB television, signaling yet another senior Republican may soon call it quits.
Baker told the Louisiana TV station that he has notified the Clerk he would like to pursue a post as the head of the Managed Funds Association, which represents hedge funds and other “non-traditional” investment industries.
Baker, a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, came up short last year in his bid to be the top Republican on that panel. Lobbyists for the finance sector have been hinting the senior Republican was looking for a K Street job, but this is the first hard evidence he’s considering a private sector post.
He told the Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge that he could resign his post within a month if he accepts the offer, setting up the prospect that Republicans would have to defend yet another seat in a special election. He told both news outlets that he remains undecided about the post, but one Republican lobbyist suggested he is in the running for other jobs as well.
Democrats are looking to recruit state Rep. Don Cazayoux, who recently lost a bid for the Speaker of the state House, to contest this R+6.5 seat.
It’s also worth mentioning that Baton Rouge, the population anchor of this district, had a pretty sizable number of Katrina evacuees from New Orleans, possibly making the district’s red shade a fair bit lighter.
Three open seats in Louisiana this year? A wild scenario, and one that might even help Sen. Mary Landrieu by making her seniority seem all the more crucial.
That Baker is not a crumb-bum?
This looks like a somewhat reasonable district to go after, epecially if 2008 is another wave election.
I sure hope some seats start opening up in Florida like FL-10! Come on Young, being in the minority in your upper 70s is not so fun!
Anybody know what Marjorie McKeithen is up to these days? She almost beat Baker in 1998.
Where’s the 3rd one? I thought Jefferson was planning to run for reelection if he’s acquitted? I know that’s a big if right now, but shouldn’t we assume he’s innocent and going to run again until he’s actually proven guilty, instead of convincing him now? Or am I just putting my foot in my mouth and he’s already said he won’t run again/I missed another retirement?
But regardless, isn’t it amazing to see maybe three Republicans now reneging on their commitments to the voters by resigning as soon as something with more money comes along? Any chance we could make this trend into a campaign issue?
… that Baker is a crumb-bum like all the other Repubs. The omission of the description may have much to do with sleep deprivation, due to James L., like the rest of us, staying up way too late watching returns and coverage from Iowa. This morning, after following the Iowa results well into Friday, I myself still have a headache from it all. And IT FEELS GOOD!
Even though this district is R+6.5 in deep red Louisiana, we can still make a win here. The NRCC will be forced to spend what little funds they have here while sacrificing other races, and this will make Mary Landrieu’s seniority emphasized, what with 3 open seats, possibly 4. My list is: (LA-06, LA-02, LA-01 and LA-04) and that Don Cajayoux guy sounds like a formidable candidate.
A friend told me that Republicans might just spend all their money on John Kennedy to unseat Landrieu, just to have something to brag about and maybe stop the filibuster-proof Senate.
Apart from LA-01 where there is no hope for a Democrat and LA-02, where Jefferson will probably leave, we can pick up LA-06 and LA-04.
There is a great Democrat running there – Gilda Reed. She’s the only Dem in the race, and we now have closed primaries in Louisiana for the federal level, which means that she has 4 more months to convince the voters of the district that she’s the best candidate.
East Baton Rouge Parish, the population center of LA-06 elected a Democrat to the Mayor’s seat and a black man to boot during the 2004 debacle here in Louisiana, where Bush won 54% in EBR, and Baker cruised to re-election with 69% of the vote. The new Mayor – Kip Holden – also received 54% of the vote. Baker’s seat is one that we can win, especially with the influx of New Orleanians that are likely making BR home for good.
And the Dems don’t need to recruit Cazayoux. He’s already committed to the race if Baker’s out. Had you checked out Daily Kingfish, you would know that.