Newspaper Agents?

I tried posting this in Freelance, but that may have been the wrong forum. I'm still figuring out where to post what questions.

My question is this. Are there agents who represent newspaper columnists? Those who aspire to the national and international readership of Dave Barry, Leonard Pitts, or Michelle Malkin?

My situation is this. I have been a newspaper columnist for just over five years. I started local and, from time to time, get a trial on a newspaper's wire and then my columns appear all over the U.S. I live in deep South Texas and my columns have made it to New York, North Carolina, Florida, etc. When a newspaper shows consistent interest in my column I query them for syndication. Then it's "There's just no space/money..."

I've done my best to inform the editors that my column has received enormous positive feedback. It is the type of column that people like to read, although it doesn't always have a specific news tinge. But I feel it will help sell papers. All editors see is that I'm young and "write well, but there's no money in our budget."

I'm willing to negotiate on terms and money.

Sorry so long. Does anybody know of an agent who will represent up and coming newspaper columnists? (And I do have books I want to write, but I could really use the time. Being a syndicated columnist would mean that I could write full-time. No by-vocation.)

Thanks for anything you can offer. Advice or Anything.

I spoke with a few columnists, when I was just starting (17 years old) and got the run around and some "Only 17f? You've got plenty of time..."

But thanks for the tip. I'll look into it. I fear that I'm trying to board a sinking ship. I've spoken with many editors who like my stuff, but say that the newspaper is downsizing the number of features because newspaper readership is going down.

I appreciate it Giant Baby, and if anyone else has any advice, I'm certainly open to it.