Senator Dorgan to Retire (Updated: Dodd, too?)
[Guest post by DRJ]
North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan announced he does not plan to run for re-election in 2010 and has become this year’s first elected Democratic Senator to retire:
“Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota said Tuesday he would not seek re-election this year, unexpectedly saddling his fellow Democrats with a contest that could be tough to win amid a difficult political climate for the party.
Mr. Dorgan has been elected three times to the U.S. Senate, winning 68% of the vote in 2004, and his seat was not clearly vulnerable. Republicans say the retirement greatly boosts their chances of cutting into the Democrats’ advantage in the chamber.”
The report says Dorgan didn’t tell Democratic officials until after he made his decision. I attribute this to fallout over ObamaCare, which is fast becoming the Democrats’ political death panel.
— DRJ
UPDATE — Karl tips us to a breaking news story from Andrew Malcolm at the LA Times:
“Breaking: Washpost sez Conn Dem Sen Chris Dodd will annce Wed he wont seek reelection. Joins ND Dem Byron Dorgan on retiring list.”
The Washington Post is currently running it in a banner at the top of the page. I’ll add a link to the article when it’s posted. From the WaPo article:
“State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is widely expected to step into the void filled by Dodd and, at least at first blush, should drastically increase Democrats’ chances of holding the seat.
***
Without Dodd as a foil, Republicans chances of taking over a seat in this solidly blue state are considerably diminished. Former Rep. Rob Simmons and wealthy businesswoman Linda McMahon are battling it out for the Republican nod but either would start as an underdog in a general election matchup with Blumenthal.”
He, and his fellow Senator from Countrywide, should both enjoy the view from the sidelines this coming Fall.
AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:22 pmHis seat was not clearly vulnerable?
As “Allahpundit notes, he trailed the state’s Republican governor John Hoeven in a hypothetical match-up by fully 22 points.
Dorgan, by dropping out before Hoeven even got in, may cause Hoeven to serve out his term and challenge Kent Conrad in 2012. Heh.
Karl (cc4af5) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:23 pmAlso, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) is reportedly ending his re-election campaign.
Karl (cc4af5) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:26 pmMr. Dorgan, 67 years old, has held public office since he was 26 and said he had intended to run again this year.
go home and do something with your life stupid dirty socialist taco
happyfeet (e9e587) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:26 pmOops, my bad…It was Mr.Conrad who enjoyed that privileged position with Countrywide along with Mr.Dodd.
AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:28 pmThis STILL doesn’t make sense. I agree with your assessment on Obamacare being the Democrats suicide song but I have to ask WHY they continue to march themselves over the cliff? And now in the most brazen of fashions with the news out that even CSPAN is taking them to task.
Metallica (e4735c) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:43 pmDorgan is actually doing any Democrat who runs a favor.
SteveG (909b57) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:51 pmThe new person gets to run with no blood on their hands
Byron who?
GeneralMalaise (68a574) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:52 pmI’d prefer that he stayed in but listened to his constituents.
Subotai (d45024) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:53 pmKust 11 months till the BIG FLUSH!!!
TC (0b9ca4) — 1/5/2010 @ 6:58 pmDemocrats in a rush to avoid the rash of criminal indictments coming down the pike. They’re going to get what the liberal wet dream was for Rove, frog marched to the jail house.
Scrapiron (4e0dda) — 1/5/2010 @ 7:32 pmRumor has it that Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd, in an attempt to boost his polling numbers in what looks to be a very tough re-election bid, is pressing to use federal funds to make a new hydroelectric weir in CT. They’re going to call it “Dodd Dam”.
Okay, that was a joke, but who could resist a punch line like that?
Some chump (d97978) — 1/5/2010 @ 8:44 pmLATimes’ Andrew Malcolm:
Breaking: Washpost sez Conn Dem Sen Chris Dodd will annce Wed he wont seek reelection. Joins ND Dem Byron Dorgan on retiring list
Karl (cc4af5) — 1/5/2010 @ 9:01 pmThat’s bad news, no?
happyfeet (e9e587) — 1/5/2010 @ 9:03 pmThanks, Karl. I’m updating the post.
DRJ (84a0c3) — 1/5/2010 @ 9:10 pmMetallica said:
This STILL doesn’t make sense. I agree with your assessment on Obamacare being the Democrats suicide song but I have to ask WHY they continue to march themselves over the cliff? And now in the most brazen of fashions with the news out that even CSPAN is taking them to task.
I had a hard time understanding this too, for a while. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense from the left’s point of view.
First, they will finally be able to enact government control of life-and-death issues not just for a segment of the population, but for all of the population.
Second, right now, it is still an extremely long shot that the GOP will be able to garner enough votes to win the House, much less the Senate.
Third, it doesn’t matter if the GOP wins the House or Senate in 2010. If health-care is enacted, they have a bullet-proof platform for election: The GOP wants to kill you, your grandmother, your mother, your dad your wife and your children (except in the case of abortion).
They can’t lose. And, throwing a couple of old white guys under the bus now is a small price to pay.
Ag80 (76c798) — 1/5/2010 @ 9:44 pmIf Dodd (D,Corruption) is going, maybe Barney Frank will follow him out the door and there will actually be an opportunity to rein in Fannie and Freddie. I know, too much to hope for, especially with the unlimited support Obama approved for them Christmas eve.
daleyrocks (718861) — 1/5/2010 @ 9:47 pmI’m happy to see Dorgan go into retirement. I’m dissatisfied to see Dodd go anywhere but to prison.
Beldar (2a2764) — 1/5/2010 @ 10:13 pm(Lest there be any doubt, I am glad to learn that Dodd will be leaving the Senate.)
Beldar (2a2764) — 1/5/2010 @ 10:15 pmThey’re all disgusting, all 535 of them, every single one with their lies and dirty deals and outright, brazen dishonesty.
sam (5ef311) — 1/5/2010 @ 10:24 pmHello? Is anyone still up? The Denver Post is reporting that Dem governor Bill Ritter of Colorado has decided not to seek a second term. Like Dorgan and Dodd, he read the tea leaves and knows he was in for a shellacking.
JVW (8704f2) — 1/6/2010 @ 12:34 amBill Ritter, governor of Colorado, just announced that he won’t run for reelection. Just a few days ago, he announced that the state was looking at a billion dollar shortfall in its budget.
This is earthshaking. These people really don’t want the job if its too tough, I guess. Can’t make any real decisions to cut spending.
SPQR (8475fc) — 1/6/2010 @ 10:15 amSpending OPM is saying YES!, and creating friends (and votes for you).
AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3) — 1/6/2010 @ 10:32 amCutting spending is saying NO!, and creating enemies (and votes for the other guy).
Remember, Doyleone (pronounced like Carleone), Gov. Jim Doyle of WI is also “retiring” before indictment.
The Demo-rats are deserting the ship.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 1/6/2010 @ 10:35 amWhat can they do, they’ve run out of OPM!
AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3) — 1/6/2010 @ 10:43 amJust the winter doldrums
Spring is right around the corner.
TC (0b9ca4) — 1/6/2010 @ 12:29 pm