[tanknetter]

Haley proved here that he was not a good prognosticator. The Wicker seat is too precarious to play with. He should have named someone else to the Senate seat.

I'm not that familiar with Mississippi state politics or the local GOP players: but I'd ask what is more important, holding onto a House seat given that the rules of the House give the Majority (Democrats) an enormous amount of control and power over the agenda ... or holding onto a Senate seat that could end up being the deciding vote in perpetuating a filibuster.

If there were ANY chance, any at all ... even the slightest ... that the Lott Senate seat could go Dem the next time it's up, then Haley would be absolutely correct to appoint the strongest GOP candidate possible to it. As was learned in 1993-1995, The GOP needs that 40-seat firewall in a situation where the Dems control both houses of Congress and the White House. Phil Gramm's "over my cold, dead, political body" speech springs immediately to mind.

[Impy]

Who say’s Wicker was the strongest candidate?

As to filibustering, I doubt they have the nads. And with all the liberal Republicans like Snowne, Collins, Specter, Voinovich....