House GOP Retirements Grow

A slew of veteran House Republicans are retiring (US News & World Report)

The most high profile of the retirements is former Speaker Dennis Hastert's, which is slated for a Friday announcement.

Another is Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce, who was the No. 4 House Republican before the 2006 election, said she'd retire at the end of her term.

The other recent high-profile Republican retirement announcement came from Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood.

"With yet another open seat to defend, this is a significant blow to national Republicans already burdened with a record of standing with George Bush at the expense of a new direction in Iraq and change here in America," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Doug Thornell.

•  They're going to corporate/wingnut welfare gigs

  Since lobbying is no longer as lucrative.

  by Phoenix Woman on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:41:37 PM PDT

  •  They see it coming

    If they stick around, they gonna get hit with endless investigation afterward. They can see GOP is going to implode in 2008.

    So they might as well quit while ahead.

    by fugue on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 01:00:10 PM PDT

•  So long...

  Please let the door hit you on the way out.  May your indictments be many and your restful nights few.

  by Pennsylvanian on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:41:58 PM PDT

•  Should we call all up for election?

  Anyone aligned with b*sh agenda?
  "Heard a rumor...yadda yadda yadda..."
  "Have you no shame?"

  by cosette on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:42:40 PM PDT

•  2008 is gonna be sweet!!!

  by bigpappa10834 on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:48:08 PM PDT

•  Good-bye & good riddance, to them!

  by lyvwyr101 on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:51:57 PM PDT

•  Just before the tsunami of 2004,

  wild animals instinctively ran to higher ground, wishing to avoid being in the middle of something dangerous.

  When Republicans are announcing they will not seek reelection in 2008, that's a leading indicator that Election Day '08 might be a Blue Christmas.

  by Greasy Grant on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 12:53:43 PM PDT

•  asdf

  There have been a number of diaries on this topic in the last couple of days....

  by aggieric on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 01:55:47 PM PDT

  •  Some of them even had content.

    And quote boxes and linky thingies.

    by homogenius on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 02:04:35 PM PDT

    •  you are stalking me! ;-) n/t

      by aggieric on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 02:14:56 PM PDT

  •  I guess I'd better pay closer attention.

    I saw Deborah Pryce announcment yesterday but I didn't know about Hastert until today.

    by immigradvocate on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 02:04:55 PM PDT

    •  I don't actually mind another diary

      but homogenius has the right of it - a little research, outlining who all of them are, a little assessment of where the Dems stand in putting up a candidate and that candidate's prospects.  All of that info is out there in various diaries, but it's not been collected.  Bringing it all together would be an interesting read.

      For what it's worth, that's the main reason I write so very few diaries - putting together a good, informative diary is so damned much work, and time-consuming.  I honestly don't know how some of the kossacks in here have the time to do a full-time job and write a good diary every day.  And some of 'em write really excellent diaries almost every day.  I wish I had that ability.

      by aggieric on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 02:14:39 PM PDT