Bombshell: Byron Dorgan announces retirement
posted at 6:52 pm on January 5, 2010 by Allahpundit
‘Twas ObamaCare that killed the beast. Health-care reform is radioactive in North Dakota and, thanks to his support for it, so was Dorgan: As of two weeks ago, as a three-term incumbent, he trailed the state’s Republican governor John Hoeven in a hypothetical match-up by fully 22 points.
So here’s his “you can’t fire me, I quit!” moment.
For the past year, I have been making plans to seek another six-year Senate term in next year’s election. Those plans included raising campaign funds and doing the organizing necessary to wage a successful campaign…
Although I still have a passion for public service and enjoy my work in the Senate, I have other interests and I have other things I would like to pursue outside of public life. I have written two books and have an invitation from a publisher to write two more books. I would like to do some teaching and would also like to work on energy policy in the private sector.
So, over this holiday season, I have come to the conclusion, with the support of my family, that I will not be seeking another term in the U.S. Senate in 2010. It is a hard decision to make after thirty years in the Congress, but I believe it is the right time for me to pursue these other interests.
Let me be clear that this decision does not relate to any dissatisfaction that I have about serving in the Senate. Yes, I wish there was less rancor and more bipartisanship in the U.S. Senate these days. But still, it is a great privilege to serve and I have the utmost respect for all of the men and women with whom I serve.
He actually goes so far as to remind people that he’d been planning to run again. Amazing. This is an easy GOP pick-up, especially if Hoeven runs, but that’s a long-term issue. Short-term, two big points. One: Will this spook other Dems looking at long odds next year to quit? Like Ambinder says, this is first and foremost a psychological blow. Dodd’s probably asking himself the obligatory “should I spend more time with my family?” question right now. Two: How does this impact ObamaCare? Do Blue Dogs like Lincoln finally head for the hills at the next cloture vote?
Blowback
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That is why Scott Brown’s eltection in Massachusetts is so important!
There are two weeks for those in Mass. to add the 41rst GOP senator and provide the ability to filibuster for the GOP.
The people of Mass can do it as they have before. The end to tyranny:
April 23, 1775 – The Provincial Congress in Massachusetts orders 13,600 American soldiers to be mobilized. Colonial volunteers from all over New England assemble and head for Boston, then establish camps around the city and begin a year long siege of British-held Boston. ;) :)
AnthonyK on January 5, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Effective immediately?
Memo to West Virginia: KKK Byrd can’t even hold his head up. Get rid of him.
SouthernGent on January 5, 2010 at 7:46 PM
Do you all think this guy can overcome -9?
ted c on January 5, 2010 at 7:49 PM
I don’t understand how Byrd got re-elected in his condition.
Enoxo on January 5, 2010 at 7:51 PM
great, a sad thing really
Dorgan is the one who has been fighting to allow Americans access to a real FREE MARKET in RXs with drug reimportation
he and MAC are trying to get it done
DEMOCRATS voted against it after 15 GOP crossed the aisle in support last month
may as well have the GOP in the seat if the Dem cannot get us our damn RXs from Canada
do I understand the R/D issues, yeah
do I want to die b/c I have to pay 3x more than Canadians when I am out of work?
uhmmm, no, no I dont. give us our damn rxs!!
ginaswo on January 5, 2010 at 7:51 PM
All depends on the turnout. Higher turn out and Republicans will gain…..(Because indies and GOP are energized).
Low turnout and Dems keep the seat…However anything under a 10 point spread…All Dems get nervous nationwide. See Dorgan (D-SD).
Rndguy on January 5, 2010 at 7:52 PM
It’s improbable, but not impossible. Scott Brown has been working his rear off campaigning–and his rival, Coakley, went on vacation over the Christmas holiday (she may still be on vacation, even).
Enoxo on January 5, 2010 at 7:53 PM
If by “family” you mean Bubba over in Cell Block D, then by all means, Senator Dodd, please spend more time with your family.
noblejones on January 5, 2010 at 7:54 PM
This is why my mind wanders at times. You know, just wanders a little, down around here and over there.
Like, I mean, Steele says he’s not sure the GOP is ready to lead. Uh, if he’s the top guy, isn’t he just speaking about himself?
And uh, well, when you’re at war and your ship just keeps hitting ice bergs, keeps having engine problems, parts missing, just when you have the enemy in your sights the guns keep seeming to jam… you know.. you just get to thinking. Like.. is it all just incompetence? Is it all just cowardice? Could some of it be something else?
JellyToast on January 5, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Marco Rubio of Florida started in single digits in Florida and NOW he is tied with current Governor Charlie Crist for the US senate seat vacated by Martinez.
Rubio is a conservative and Crist is a RINO.
Yes it IS possible. Just a little harder hill to climb because of the time factor and the fact that Mass is so “Blue”.
AnthonyK on January 5, 2010 at 7:55 PM
Hope for bad weather – Democrats never turn out in special elections and especially not in bad weather.
Plus the secret dealings with the healthcare bill, C-SPAN calling for it televised and the underwear bomber fiasco might just make people even in MA say enough is enough.
gophergirl on January 5, 2010 at 7:57 PM
The Democrat party will freeze Mr. Byrd, and will wheel him out for votes for the next ten years…
Seven Percent Solution on January 5, 2010 at 7:57 PM
There should be a rule – if you can’t perform the duties you have to resign.
I thought Strom Thurmond stayed way too long at the party too
gophergirl on January 5, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Ever since I saw his mug in Fahrenheit 9-11( I got a copy from the library, no money for Moore), I’ve always held him in great contempt.
Bye-bye Byron.
thebrokenrattle on January 5, 2010 at 8:03 PM
He’s retiring so he can spend more time with his toupee.
Django on January 5, 2010 at 8:04 PM
Wishful thinking I know, but is there even a remote chance that Dorgan, a moderate Dem, could muster the intestinal fortitude now that he has broken free of the chains that bind him and reverse his vote on the Obamacrap monstracity? If he had a conscience he’d folow the wishes of the majority of his constiuents and reverse his vote.
Wouldn’t it be grand to watch the Libs heads explode if he actually did this?
glennbo on January 5, 2010 at 8:04 PM
As someone who lives in WV, I can tell you that Byrd will most likely be voted into office even after he’s dead,besides the Gov. is most likely going to be his replacement so don’t look for an R pick up here.
tee866 on January 5, 2010 at 8:05 PM
Oh yeah. Believe it! They won’t let an honest coroner get within 10 feet of the body! The MSM won’t care, Heck, Chris Matthews will still be doing interviews with him. He never shuts up anyway.
JellyToast on January 5, 2010 at 8:05 PM
The Republicans should hint if they get a majority they will began a thorough investigation of whether any sitting senators had a hand in the mortgage meltdown…
18-1 on January 5, 2010 at 8:06 PM
“FloorVote at Bernies” Byrd mumbles Yea! LOL
AnthonyK on January 5, 2010 at 8:08 PM
No I want them to keep Byrd ….. I get so much mileage out of the democrats being the party with the only sitting Senator who was a former Grand Kleegle of the KKK. Hell I would go so far as to say I hope they ( the democrats ) stuff and mount his moldy ass after he dies and keep running him for office
Aggie95 on January 5, 2010 at 8:08 PM
See, this is the JOB of the RNC and Michael Steel, but this moron’s too busy claiming Republican’s aren’t ready. Steel needs to go.
Rovin on January 5, 2010 at 8:11 PM
2010 is going to be a magical year…
d1carter on January 5, 2010 at 8:11 PM
+1
Look for the strings.
CWforFreedom on January 5, 2010 at 8:13 PM
Fortunately, no one outside of the blogs ever heard of Steele. Fortunately.
leftnomore on January 5, 2010 at 8:21 PM
22 points?
“Toxic”?
Try “Radioactive”.
Del Dolemonte on January 5, 2010 at 8:22 PM
anthony k
did you see Ben Smith in Politico today covering the FL GOP Heads resignation?! a buddy of Crist that guy was apparently
I am all for it if it helps RUbio…
ginaswo on January 5, 2010 at 8:23 PM
Looks like rosell19. Remember him?
Del Dolemonte on January 5, 2010 at 8:29 PM
The more announcements like this, the better. They create an inevitability of a slaughter that will cause more retirements, keep stronger Dems from running for open seats and dry up their funding sources. Hey, Dodd, you’re next! Don’t you have a health problem that needs your full attention?
SleeplessinChicago on January 5, 2010 at 8:29 PM
Yes I did. I predicted it in late Dec. Greer was a Crist sycophant and hardly represented the base of GOP. He was selected by Crist and made no secret of his support for Crist. Greer was trying to kiss the @#$# of the National GOP so that he could move up. Same for Crist. The NRSC endorsed Crist even though Rubio was already in the race. When they got the message from Rubio supporters that they would not support the NRSC monetarily because of their poor choice, the NRSC dumped Crist by withholding funds until after the primary was over…..
AnthonyK on January 5, 2010 at 8:34 PM
The weasels cast a vote they know is wrong, that they know they can’t get re-elected on, and then they run and hide…weasels, every last one of them…
right2bright on January 5, 2010 at 8:38 PM
If a sitting Senator or Representative announces his/her retirement, it should be effective immediately. Only a p**** would vote against the wishes of the people he works for, then retire.
SouthernGent on January 5, 2010 at 8:39 PM
angryed on January 5, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Well I hope it opens te eyes of the Demonrats and actually gives some sobering thoughts to them. I hope it does not go the other way and they just vote for everything now. If Scott Brown can win or make it a very close race that will scare the @#$% out of Dems all over the country as it happened for Teddy`s old seat.
bluemarlin on January 5, 2010 at 8:45 PM
I could not agree more!
bluemarlin on January 5, 2010 at 8:47 PM
He has in no way “broken free of the chains that bind him:”
He’ll be needing to cast the ObamaCare vote and several more and insert an earmark or three to pay for his elaborate post-Senate plans — “energy policy in the private sector,” yeah right.
notropis on January 5, 2010 at 8:47 PM
Hairy clam. It fits his personality.
john1schn on January 5, 2010 at 8:47 PM
<blockquoteThat is why Scott Brown’s eltection in Massachusetts is so important!
There are two weeks for those in Mass. to add the 41rst GOP senator and provide the ability to filibuster for the GOP.
Do you all think this guy can overcome -9?
ted c on January 5, 2010 at 7:49 PM
A win would be seismic. Still, a 2-3% point loss would shake them up badly.
98ZJUSMC on January 5, 2010 at 8:49 PM
Women and children first, as they say.
BobMbx on January 5, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Always love Allah’s perfect captions: shock! I am a North Dakotan and the first thing to come out of my mouth was: I am SHOCKED! The Congressional representation hailing from our state are the SLEAZIEST of the sleaze. The media here still call all three of ‘em ‘deficit hawks’ and ‘moderates’ and even ‘pro-life.’ They’ve made political vote casting an art form; voting moderately only when the leadership doesn’t need their votes; saying one thing in D.C. and lying their heads off at home. Good riddance!
scoromastel on January 5, 2010 at 9:06 PM
Massachusetts bankrolled the American revolution. Can they come through again?
Mojave Mark on January 5, 2010 at 9:06 PM
Not a chance. Blue Dogs are still Democrats, and are thus socialists at heart. They’ll make the obligatory hemming and hawwing to pacify thier constituents, then they’ll vote for whatever socialist agenda is on the floor.
Vic on January 5, 2010 at 9:10 PM
Only 10 years? They’ll do it as long as the media doesn’t question why Byrd took to wearing sunglasses all the time, never talks, and can only move his head and one arm in a halting jerky manner. That and as long as West Virginians keep reelecting him.
In other words we’ll all be dead before Byrd is out of the Senate.
jarodea on January 5, 2010 at 9:17 PM
WV has a very popular congresswoman who is Republican, Shelly Moore Capito. She should run.
Rumor though is that replacing Byrd will be an ugly war within the dhimmicrat party between congressman (with heavy Paliland lobbyist ties) Nick Joe Rahall and Governor Manchin.
wildcat84 on January 5, 2010 at 9:19 PM
It means Dorgan can vote for ObamaCare and his constituents be damned.
jnelchef on January 5, 2010 at 9:20 PM
… or it means he can vote against it and not be concerned with loss of key committee positions, etc. Of course, he’d have to have a spine.
glennbo on January 5, 2010 at 9:25 PM
OT BREAKING:
Enoxo on January 5, 2010 at 9:26 PM
Or in senator Byrd,s case, if someone says hello to you and your’e stumped for an answer, It’s time to go.
royzer on January 5, 2010 at 9:41 PM
Thanks for that and all your other timely posts as well.
Geochelone on January 5, 2010 at 9:41 PM
It’s a great day to be a North Dakotan! Wait…he’ll just vote for every garbage legislation the democrats want without having to actually consider what the people want.
I’m curious if Hoeven will even run. He’s played the will he/won’t he game before I believe. I also wonder who will inherit Dorgan’s war chest?
thevastlane on January 5, 2010 at 9:47 PM
Heh.
He’s getting ‘out of Dodge’ with his fat pension before the mob storms DC.
Hmmmmm.
So then, who’ll be next?
CPT. Charles on January 5, 2010 at 9:58 PM
The GOP is needlessly losing New York and Massachussets. Will it at least come off sitting on its butt and work in N.Dakota?
promachus on January 5, 2010 at 10:04 PM
Blanche Lincoln IS NOT a blue dog. Neither is Mark, Son of David, Pryor…Both are socialist collaborators.
Gohawgs on January 5, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Too bad. I was looking forward to a humiliating defeat followed by tar and feathering
R Square on January 5, 2010 at 10:22 PM
Good riddance to bad rubbish
bill30097 on January 5, 2010 at 10:28 PM
Disagree! Reimporting drugs from Canada is no where near free market. To re-import something means that the product was originally exported. How in the world is re-importing something at below market rates going to solve our problem?
1) We Americans, like healthcare, subsidize others who can’t or won’t pay market rates. In this case, Pharma discounts its price to Canada in order to maintain market share and passes the burden on US consumers.
2) If we “reimport” drugs from Canada and Pharma “loses” its US market, then there are only two outcomes, three actually:
a) prices will go up for Canada to near current US prices – in order to maintain revenues, and/or,
b) fewer new drugs will undergo R&D, since Pharma can’t afford to both discount overall prices and fund R&D — which means some future golden-egg drugs will never come to market because their goose was cooked by market distorting politicians, alternatively,
c) If Canada refuses to pay higher rates, Pharma could stop exporting. If there’s no export, then there’s no discounted drugs to re-import. Concurrently, US prices will be hiked to make up for the lost volume to Canada.
The above three is basic free market (FM) at work. Dornan & McVain are so ignorant of FM facts, they’ll fight for reimporting drugs just to get your vote, knowing full well the US market will once again get screwed. Just as we full well know we’ll get screwed with the various forms of HC as envisioned by the donks.
This is the story of US style FM writ large for the past 70 years. We the People have been subsidizing the security (cold war, UN, etc), health (WHO, drugs, rescue aid, i.e ’04 tsunami, earthquakes etc) and economic growth (IMF, foreign aid etc) of the rest of the world, instead of making sure they pay their fair share.
AH_C on January 6, 2010 at 12:02 AM
You said it. Man does this news put a smile on my face. Hopefully the NDGOP will not still find a way to squander this opportunity…
Cylor on January 6, 2010 at 12:13 AM
Chris Dodd is quitting now too. That is too bad b/c we would have easily picked up a seat in Conn, it might be harder to win now.
lavell12 on January 6, 2010 at 12:58 AM
And Governor John Hoeven has indicated he’s likely going to run now.
Enoxo on January 6, 2010 at 1:19 AM
Never. Vote. Democrat.
Never do it.
Alaska voted in a Democrat because of false and withdrawn corruption charges against their Republican Senator and now he votes for the health care bill totally against their wishes. Expect this kind of behavior on every important issue.
Montanans, Coloradans, Nevadans… I’m talking to you.
scotash on January 6, 2010 at 3:53 AM
Actually we can thank King Louis of France for that. French muskets, powder, and uniforms helped us win. As far as I’m concerned, England can have Massachusetts back.
poplicola on January 6, 2010 at 6:32 AM
Dorgan and now Chris Dodd from the Senate….and Colorado’s Governor Ritter!!! Looks like Democrats are seein’ the light and headin’ for the hills before they are voted out.
yoda on January 6, 2010 at 7:43 AM
I think yesterday’s news must be very deflating for Dems. More to come.
AnninCA on January 6, 2010 at 7:45 AM
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-senator-chris-dodd-christopher-connecticut-106,0,2741157.story
Dodd is retiring too?
njpat on January 6, 2010 at 7:59 AM
These are politically calculated decisions where the incumbent has no chance of re-election. The Dems will run a new and popular candidate to run against the Republican. It will be up to the voters to vote in a conservative or another corrupt Democrat machine liberal. I’m betting that the sheeple will be stupid enough to do just that.
orlandocajun on January 6, 2010 at 8:11 AM
Leave a thank you for http://dumpchrisdodd.com/ on their video….they’ve worked tirelessly to get Dodd out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdpSpdl8Xhg
njpat on January 6, 2010 at 8:42 AM
Hair today; gone tomorrow…… thank God!
joedoe on January 6, 2010 at 10:06 AM
It’s time for Hoeven to wake up and run for this seat. North Dakota has been voting Republican for President for decades, yet it has two Dem Senators.
It seems like Dakotans vote for the incumbent over and over so that their Senators get seniority and power on committees, out of proportion to the population of the state. Tom Daschle ran on this theme for years in South Dakota, while he was a flaming liberal in DC, and was just barely ousted in 2004 by the young conservative John Thune, who will probably cruise to re-election this year.
With Dorgan retiring, North Dakota’s next Senator (of either party) will not have seniority and plum committee assignments, so they might as well get a conservative Senator to represent a conservative state. Governor Hoeven, step up to the plate!
Steve Z on January 6, 2010 at 10:20 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/06/AR2010010600023.html?wpisrc=nl_politics
According to the Washington Post, Dodd plans to retire, probably because he knows he would lose. This is a mixed blessing, because CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) will probably run for Senate, who would me a much stronger candidate than Dodd, and doesn’t have the baggage of the banking scandal.
Blumenthal does have one major weakness–at a time when several nuclear power plants in CT have shut down, several natural-gas-fired plants have been built to pick up the slack, yet as natural gas prices continue to increase, and Blumenthal almost single-handedly opposed the construction of an LNG terminal in Long Island Sound, which could bring much-needed imported natural gas to CT.
The GOP candidates for Senate in CT need to explain this issue to the voters, that Blumenthal = high gas and electricity prices in CT.
Steve Z on January 6, 2010 at 10:31 AM
Ed Shultz may run for the ND Senate seat, I hope he runs. He will get crushed.
lavell12 on January 6, 2010 at 2:02 PM
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