Key Democrats Announce They Will Not Run for Re-Election (293 hits)
Three prominent Democrats announced this week that they were not going to be running for their seats this year. On Tuesday, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he wanted to write books. Today, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., told reporters it was just time for a change. Moments later, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter announced that he would drop out, because he wanted to spend more time with his family. What each incumbent hinted at, but left unsaid, was that they were facing long odds in their upcoming races. Ritter and Dorgan didn't even have announced opponents, but still trailed prospective rivals by 8 and 20 points, while Dodd trailed Republican Rob Simmons by about 10 points.
Jeff Crank, Colorado state director of Americans for Prosperity, said it could be a long election season for Democrats. "I think the American people are fed up," he said, "with Democrats shoving this health care bill down the throats of the American people, despite them saying they do not support it." And he said it's not just Democrats who should be worried. "People who sit back and say, 'Hey, I'm an incumbent, I'm not going to lose,' they're going to find themselves looking for a job," said Crank.
