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The fact that Griffin likely will become a House lifer (given his new seat on Ways and Means) is terrific news for the GOP, electorally speaking. His Little Rock-based CD has become by far the least Republican of the state’s four CDs (all of which are now held by Republicans). AR-02 gave McCain and Romney 53.8% and 54.7%, respectively, in the past two presidential elections. By comparison, Rick Crawford’s AR-01 in NW AR (which had been held by Democrat Marion Berry–no, not the cokehead DC mayor, that was Marion Barry–for a couple of decades before he retired in 2010) gave 58.0% to McCain and 61.0% to Romney, newly elected Tom Cotton’s AR-04 (which Democrat Mike Ross vacated this year) gave McCain 59.9% and Romney 61.8%, and Steve Womack NW AR-03 (which has been held by Republicans for decades) voted 63.7% and 65.5% Republican the past two presidential elections.

So Griffin’s AR-02 will be the closest thing to a competitive district in AR for the rest of the decade (unless the white vote in the state swings mightily back towards the Democrats, which is unlikely). I was afraid that Griffin would run for the Senate in 2014 and that the Dems would pick up his House seat, but with Griffin staying put it should remain in GOP hands for awhile (particularly with Griffin being able to boast of his ability to get federal funds for district projects).

As to what Republican will take on Mark Pryor in 2014, I have no idea, but if he or she is remotely competent I like our chances. My favorite would have been Princella Smith (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princella_Smith), a solid conservative who is extremely charismatic and eloquent (she’s in the communications business) and finished third in the GOP primary for AR-01 in 2010. She will turn 30 in 2014, so she’ll barely meet the constitutional requirement. If elected, Prinella would become not only the first black female Republican ever elected to the U.S. Senate, but to either branch of Congress. (Although, hopefully, Mia Love will be elected to the House in 2014 after her heartbreaking 0.4% loss in UT-04 a few weeks ago.)

BTW, Mark Pryor ran unopposed for his 2008 reelection (stupid AR GOP). I wonder who was the last Senator who was defeated for reelection after having run unopposed the prior election.