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Trent Lott Making Comeback as Whip

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Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott will launch a comeback attempt and seek the post of whip in the new Senate, according to sources close to the Mississippi Republican.

If successful, Lott would become the majority whip or minority whip, depending on the outcome of two yet undecided races in the midterm elections.

The longtime lawmaker has already begun working the phones in an effort to drum up support for his election to the post over current Majority Whip Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

McConnell is likely to move to the majority or minority leader post.

Sources say Lott — who as House minority whip was instrumental in enacting President Ronald Reagan’s economic and national security programs — reportedly feels that current Majority Leader Bill Frist has not successfully promoted the Reagan agenda, and has done a poor job passing legislation in the Senate.

Lott also believes that the GOP leadership has strayed from its conservative agenda — a factor that led to the GOP’s poor showing on Election Day.

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As whip, Lott would be in a far better position to effect policy.

Lott was first elected to the House in 1972 and to the Senate in 1988. He was majority whip in 1995, then served as majority leader from 1996 to 2001.

He was expected to become majority leader again in early 2003, but was derailed by remarks he made about Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

At Thurmond’s 100th birthday party in December 2002, Lott praised Thurmond — who as a presidential candidate on the states’ rights ticket in 1948 actively supported racial segregation. His off-the-cuff remarks caused a firestorm.

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