Key word is “weakest” Republican. There’s going to be pressure for him to appoint one to maximize GOP dissension. It’s too bad somebody like ex-Sen. Malcolm Wallop couldn’t serve an interim term and allow us to put up a better candidate in ‘08.
This could be a mess. In small states, the Republican talent pool is pretty small. In Western states, many good conservatives won’t go to Washington, or if they do, they won’t want to be there long. It would be a shame to end up with a typical senatorial type, i.e., a moderate weakling. But it wouldn’t be surprising. I hope conservative activists in Wyoming are working on this and not letting the suits just do whatever they want. The suits in our party tend not to be very bright. And they tend toward moderates. Make them feel the heat, Wyomingites!
The way to solve that is to submit three names, all of whom promise in advance that they would NOT run in 2008.