Political musical chairs has a resignation, an appointment, and a campaign suspended

There's a game of musical chairs going on at the State Capitol, and who gets a chair is in question.

Last week, former State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion announced his resignation as State Treasurer.

It's not often that someone gives up such a politically safe constitutional office to go back to the farm; usually, it's to take a better job.

I think back to 2001 when then-State Treasurer Dave Heineman gave up that job to be appointed lieutenant governor under then Gov. Mike Johanns after Johann's second-in-command, Dave Maurstad, left to take a post in Washington.

There was also former Lt. Gov. Ma...