Bringing to its conclusion one of the leading Epic Fails of modern politics:
Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole has withdrawn from the race to remain chairman of the Republicans' campaign arm in the House, according to numerous GOP aides, allowing Texas Rep. Pete Sessions to fill the post.
Under Cole's watch, the GOP lost three special elections in solidly Republican districts in 2008, followed by a loss of roughly 20 seats (depending on the breaks) in the fall elections, and a possible loss in the coming election in LA-04.
Much of this may not have been Cole's fault, but his track record as NRCC chair is one of stunning failure. He'd hoped to stick around, no doubt, to try and make up for this year's losses by running up a good record in a better political climate in 2010.
He won't get that opportunity. Instead, we get Pete Sessions, a canny politician who has one high-profile victory under his belt - the defeat of former Rep. Martin Frost in 2004.
Sessions' own seat may be targeted in 2010. Unlike Cole's, this seat could actually theoretically be competitive.
In any case, Cole's star has fallen so dramatically over the past year that he's unlikely to advance anywhere in Republican leadership, even with the leadership vacuum in the party at the House level.