White House to nominate Baucus for ambassador to China [Dem Senator from MT to retire early]

The White House is set to select outgoing Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) as its pick for ambassador to China, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and a Baucus ally confirmed Wednesday.

Baucus, 72, previously announced that he won't seek reelection to the Senate in 2014.

Assuming Baucus is confirmed sometime in 2014, it means there will be a vacancy in his seat. Gov. Steve Bullock (D) will get to make the appointment for the final year of Baucus's term.

Bullock could pick his lieutenant governor, John Walsh, who is already running for the seat in 2014. But Walsh faces a primary against former lieutenant governor John Bohlinger, and governors sometimes opt to pick placeholders who don't intend to run for the seat in order to avoid allegations of favoritism.

Rep. Steve Daines is the leading candidate on the GOP side. Republicans have been favored to win the seat in a state that President Obama lost by 13 points in 2012.

I have never been a strong opponent of what is termed illegal immigration. OTOH, I have recently been trending toward joining those opposed.

One of the things about this craven budget "compromise" that I find enraging is that we are cutting veteran's pensions but preserving every nickel that goes to the illegals. The illegal alien lobby is overreaching by far. Paul Ryan is preparing to join Boehner, McConnell and the GOP-E in passing "comprehensive immigration reform" and that likely influenced him in keeping intact their share of federal loot.

I live about 6 miles south of Ryan's district and I fail to understand how so many Republicans can be bamboozled into thinking Ryan is conservative. That also goes for my Congressidiot Adam Kinzinger and the Congressidiot to our south Aaron Schock. The GOP caucus under Boehner looks increasingly like ideological Swiss cheese.

Congressman Steve King is in the state to my west but he is the closest Congressman that I would be caught dead or alive wishing to have as my representative.

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