Rats leave sinking ship
After Loss of Majority, Several Republicans Head for Exits
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
New York Times
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 — A rash of retirements among House Republicans is adding to the party’s electoral challenges and raising questions about a rush for the exits.
Four House Republicans — Representatives J. Dennis Hastert and Ray LaHood, both of Illinois; Deborah Pryce of Ohio; and Charles W. Pickering Jr. of Mississippi — have all announced in recent days that they will not seek re-election next year, worrying Republican leaders anxious to hold back a potential wave of retirements after the loss of their majority in 2006. Mr. Hastert, the former speaker, Mr. LaHood and Ms. Pryce were all well-liked leaders within their party.
“I think our party’s chances for winning the majority back next time are pretty bleak at the moment,” Mr. LaHood said in an interview, “and I will admit to you that being in the minority is less fun.”
“People are going to continue to have heartburn over the war,” he said. “Democrats will win the White House, hold their majority in the House and in the Senate in 2008, and then in 2010 we will have an extraordinary opportunity in the off-year of a Democratic presidency and Congressional majorities to possibly win it back. But it is not going to happen the next time,” in 2008.
Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the House Republican campaign committee, called the retirements “normal and to be expected.” Ms. Shutley said that in each of the last three elections about 30 lawmakers, including members of both parties, had chosen to retire. Predictions of mass Democratic retirements after the Republicans took over in 1994 “never materialized,” she said.
(Continued here.)
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
New York Times
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 — A rash of retirements among House Republicans is adding to the party’s electoral challenges and raising questions about a rush for the exits.
Four House Republicans — Representatives J. Dennis Hastert and Ray LaHood, both of Illinois; Deborah Pryce of Ohio; and Charles W. Pickering Jr. of Mississippi — have all announced in recent days that they will not seek re-election next year, worrying Republican leaders anxious to hold back a potential wave of retirements after the loss of their majority in 2006. Mr. Hastert, the former speaker, Mr. LaHood and Ms. Pryce were all well-liked leaders within their party.
“I think our party’s chances for winning the majority back next time are pretty bleak at the moment,” Mr. LaHood said in an interview, “and I will admit to you that being in the minority is less fun.”
“People are going to continue to have heartburn over the war,” he said. “Democrats will win the White House, hold their majority in the House and in the Senate in 2008, and then in 2010 we will have an extraordinary opportunity in the off-year of a Democratic presidency and Congressional majorities to possibly win it back. But it is not going to happen the next time,” in 2008.
Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the House Republican campaign committee, called the retirements “normal and to be expected.” Ms. Shutley said that in each of the last three elections about 30 lawmakers, including members of both parties, had chosen to retire. Predictions of mass Democratic retirements after the Republicans took over in 1994 “never materialized,” she said.
(Continued here.)
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