Two weeks ago, North Dakota's recently defeated Democratic congressman Earl Pomeroy announced -- hours after his service in Congress ended -- that he was joining the health-care shop of a K Street lobbying firm.

One week ago, North Dakota's recently retired Democratic senator Byron Dorgan announced that he, too, was cashing out to K Street.

Today, we learn that North Dakota's remaining Democrat, Sen. Kent Conrad, will retire at the end of his term. Like Dorgan, Conrad's wife, Lucy Calautti, is a lobbyist. She works at Baker & Hostetler with two clients: Major League Baseball and Corning, Inc., which is a very government-dependent company.

So, as I asked a year ago when Dorgan announced his retirement, is there any chance Conrad will return home to North Dakota? Or is it nearly guaranteed he will be working for K Street in two year's time?

If I had to guess, I'd say he's at Ernst & Young by inauguration.