Is Roger Wicker an Improvement Over Trent Lott?
Sen. Trent Lott’s resignation gave Republicans an opportunity to make a clean break from the big-spending and earmark-loving lawmaker. Unfortunately, I’m not sure things will change all that much with the appointment of Rep. Roger Wicker to fill Lott’s seat. Wicker deserves to be congratulated on the appointment, the latest step in a congressional career that some might say began when he was a House page in 1967. He’s clearly a talented lawmaker, serving as chairman of the House freshman class in 1995, and a strong social conservative, illustrated by his high marks from Family Research Council. But he’s also a long-time appropriator who has a penchant for bringing home pork to his Mississippi district. I compared his ratings from taxpayer groups to Lott’s, and I’m not impressed. • American Conservative Union (lifetime): Wicker = 91.5%; Lott = 92.4% • Club for Growth (2006): Wicker = 52%; Lott = 71% • National Taxpayers Union (2006): Wicker = 56% (C+); Lott = 76% (B+) Continued on the j
