Saturday, September 08, 2007

Another Republican won't seek reelection

Sen. Chuck Hagel has decided not to seek reelection in 2008. He joins Sens. John Warner (Va.) and Wayne Allard (Colo.), who announced earlier their decisions not to run.

The WaPo reports:

The Omaha World-Herald is reporting -- and The Post's Jonathan Weisman has confirmed -- that Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) will announce Monday that he will not seek a third term in 2008 nor run for any other national office.

The news that Hagel will leave the Senate creates a potentially competitive open seat, with former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) and former Gov. Mike Johanns (R) -- two titans of Cornhusker politics -- mentioned prominently as his replacement.

Hagel would have faced a strong challenge from his own party, as his fierce opposition to the president's Iraq strategy and his willingness to buck party orthodoxy "left him as an odd man out in the Senate Republican Conference."

2008 could be a banner year for Democrats.

4 comments:

Fran / Blue Gal said...

Could be...They get a pretty good pension in Congress, don't they? It's not threatened by cutbacks?

Drives me nuts these guys leave and it's so noble.

BAC said...

They do get a good pension, and excellent health benefits. If your local movie rental store has the independent film "Man With a Plan" I would encourage you to rent it. It's a fictional story about a man in VT who runs for Congress. It's quite good.


BAC

billie said...

the moderates are being squeezed out. check back to see who the rethugs are running on the ticket in those areas- and those candidates will probably be uber-conservatives or neo cons. i suppose one could argue that the folks leaving aren't moderate- but it would depend on who's perspective. the neo cons think that anyone left of where they are- are 'librals.'

BAC said...

They are ... and they are!


BAC