Roger Wicker, originally uploaded by Rob Bluey.

Sen. Trent Lott’s resignation gave Republicans an opportunity to make a clean break from the big-spending and earmark-loving lawmaker. Unfortunately, I’m not sure things will change all that much with the appointment of Rep. Roger Wicker to fill Lott’s seat.

Wicker deserves to be congratulated on the appointment, the latest step in a congressional career that some might say began when he was a House page in 1967. He’s clearly a talented lawmaker, serving as chairman of the House freshman class in 1995, and a strong social conservative, illustrated by his high marks from Family Research Council.

But he’s also a long-time appropriator who has a penchant for bringing home pork to his Mississippi district. I compared his ratings from taxpayer groups to Lott’s, and I’m not impressed.

• American Conservative Union (lifetime): Wicker = 91.5%; Lott = 92.4%
• Club for Growth (2006): Wicker = 52%; Lott = 71%
• National Taxpayers Union (2006): Wicker = 56% (C+); Lott = 76% (B+)

Believe it or not, Gov. Haley Barbour actually picked the better of the two Republicans who represent Mississippi in the House (from a fiscally conservative standpoint). Rep. Chip Pickering’s scores from taxpayer groups are worse than Wicker’s.

I’d venture to guess that Wicker probably won’t be as obnoxious as Lott, who famously quipped that he was “getting damn tired” of hearing from “so-called porkbusters,” and said recently, “Earmarks are justified and legitimate.” Hopefully, Wicker will recognize their corrupting influence and use his new perch to join with Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint to do something about them. Here’s how Captain Ed put it:

Perhaps Wicker will surprise us and act like a fiscally responsible conservative after taking his new seat in the Senate. If not, then Barbour will have done his party no favors by promoting another porker to higher office in an election where Republicans have a chance to differentiate themselves from the budget-busting antics of the majority.

We can only hope.