(June 11) If U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow truly is in the running to be the new president or chancellor of LSU or the LSU system, as is rumored, then she really ought to pursue the job.
The third-term Republican congresswoman, originally from Monroe, could do more good at LSU than she can do in the House, and her pursuit of the university job would be a better use of her energy than a risky race for the Senate against incumbent Republican Bill Cassidy.
As a caveat — and while I am in no way privy to her individual family situation — the odds are high that the position at LSU, with one and only one job locus, would create an easier home front for a widowed mother of two young children than would the inherently split-focus existence that members of Congress endure.
Even when Congress was a relatively friendlier place, back in the 20th century, the frequent travel between home districts and Washington, D.C., was stressful even for two-parent families, even if the families were largely based in D.C. rather than back home. Now the U.S. Capitol is a den of political viciousness in a city choked by ever-more horrendous traffic, and one in which individual, junior representatives are hard-pressed to make much of a difference.
Those political realities are worthy of more extended public comment. Unless a junior member is either clearly on a track for formal leadership posts or is a media-obsessed demagogue — or is on a high-risk mission to fundamentally change her party’s trajectory on major issues or in general — the chances to do meaningful work among 435 prima donnas are limited. This is especially true when, more than ever before (or so it seems to this long-term observer and former staffer), members are hugely fearful of political crackdowns from presidents or party leaders…. [The full column is at this link.]
