As near as the crack TPM staff can figure, no one seems to know why Trent Lott is resigning abruptly in the second year of his current term in office, when he actually seemed possibly on his way back to being Minority Leader in the senate. Roll Call says the decision was "precipitated by a desire to spend more time with his family and a general fatigue of Congress." If so, that's a pretty rapid onset desire to spend time with the fam.

Any ideas?

MSNBC says this ...

While the exactly reason Lott is stepping down before he finishes his term is unknown, the general speculation is that a quick departure immunizes Lott against tougher restrictions in a new lobbying law that takes effect at the end of the year. That law would require Senators to wait two-years before entering the lucrative world of lobbying Congress.