There are undoubtedly lots of people who will like the headline just because of what it means, but that having been said Vitter did an exceptional job as a Senator.

He represented the state well from the standpoint of matching the ideological persuasion of most of its voters on most of the major issues of the day, and he used every means at his disposal to magnify the level of influence he carried on behalf of the state’s voters. Vitter was a particular pain in the Obama administration’s neck, holding appointments hostage to changes in policy choices the president favored which were deleterious to Louisiana’s economy and state interest. That didn’t always work, of course, but the counter approach favored by Mary Landrieu got Louisiana precisely nowhere – one reason why she was turned out so roundly for re-election in 2014.

Vitter couldn’t make his generally positive reputation as a senator work for him last year when he ran for governor, though, and he’ll soon be off the political stage with his retirement taking effect next month. Here’s what he had to say in his final address to the Senate earlier this week…