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Reynolds Retirement And The GOP Housecleaning
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ShareMarch 20, 2008 11:39 AM
ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: How the mighty have fallen.
Thursday's expected retirement announcement by Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., marks a near-complete housecleaning inside House Republican leadership. Reynolds was chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee in the 2004 and 2006 election cycles, elections where Republicans expanded their House majority -- and then lost it altogether.
Reynolds' retirement makes him the 29th House Republican to retire or resign this term. And it means that five of the top six members of GOP leadership in the 109th Congress won't be in office when the 111th Congress convenes next January.
The first to go was Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who started the 109th Congress in 2005 as House majority leader. DeLay resigned his seat in 2006 while facing criminal charges related to allegations of improper fundraising.
Former House speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., followed DeLay out the door in November. Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, who was Republican Conference Chair at the start of the last Congress, announced last summer that she wouldn't seek another term in 2008.
Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., the former Republican conference secretary, made a similar announcement in January, under a cloud of suspicion related to the Jack Abramoff investigation. Reynolds' decision leaves Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., as the only high-ranking member of House Republican leadership from 2005 who intends to remain in Congress; Blunt was and remains House Republican whip.
Reynolds squeaked to reelection last fall, and his position inside the Republican caucus was diminished after the party lost control of Congress during the same election that he lead the NRCC.
The rash of GOP retirements will complicate Republican efforts to pick up seats this fall. Democrats have already taken over the Hastert and DeLay seats, and they are running strong candidates in the seats occupied by Reynolds, Pryce, and Doolittle as well.
UPDATE: Ken Spain, an NRCC spokesman, expressed confidence that Republicans will retain the Reynolds seat.
"The registration advantage along with the past presidential performance of the district illustrates just how strong a Republican seat this is," Spain said. "With John McCain at the top of the ticket and widespread disapproval of the Democrat-led Congress, Republican candidates will be provided with plenty of fodder for the fall."
March 20, 2008 in Vote 2008: Republicans, Washington | Permalink | User Comments (9)
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These foolish men should fade away. They share responsibility for the mess this country is in because they continued to support this failure of a president and his destructive agenda. They should go away and reflect on the lives that have been lost in this pointless war and the financial struggles that Americans have to endure each day due to war spending and irresponsible fiscal decisions. Yes, go away, and may history judge you in the same vein that it will judge this corrupt administration.
Posted by: DaveM | Mar 20, 2008 12:47:37 PM
Its about time. the entire United States Congress needs to retire and fresh faces should be allowed to take the scene.
Posted by: C.J. | Mar 20, 2008 2:59:48 PM
they shouldn't be allowed to retire on taxpayer money. they should be impeached, jailed and all their assets seized. they are personally and singularly responsible for the destruction of our nation, together with the monsters they chose to be our "leaders." DISGRACEFUL! FOR SHAME!
Posted by: ac | Mar 20, 2008 3:51:21 PM
Isn't this the guy that was involved in covering for Mark Foley? I think it was.
Posted by: The Commander Guy | Mar 20, 2008 9:17:18 PM
Wow, the viciousness, hate and hostility disgust me. All complaints, carping blaming but not a single real solution. Sure some of these people are past their prime but the same could be said of Ted Kennedy and Mr. KKK. The entire makeup of congress changed over two years ago and all I've seen is more complaining, carping and whining. Nothing is getting done. I have an open door policy for my employees with one stipulation: don't come in with a complaint unless you also bring me a solution. Otherwise, don't waste my time. The solution is simple: vote! and then shut up about it.
Posted by: Redplanet 1 | Mar 20, 2008 9:39:11 PM
Any time a Republican politician leaves office that is a PLUS for this country..Most of them wind up in jail.. BUSH and CHENEY both belong in a federal prison.
Posted by: Pat M | Mar 21, 2008 2:23:31 AM
Now all we have to do is get rid of the democratic congress and the republician congress as far as that goes. And America will survive. Congress was put into place in the hourse and buggie day's, now we live in the technology world and people don't need congress to make decission for them on capital hill. We can do it ourselves over the internet.
Posted by: William F. E. | Mar 21, 2008 7:38:10 AM
Now all we have to do is get rid of the democratic congress and the republician congress as far as that goes. And America will survive. Congress was put into place in the hourse and buggie day's, now we live in the technology world and people don't need congress to make decission for them on capital hill. We can do it ourselves over the internet.
Posted by: William F. E. | Mar 21, 2008 7:40:25 AM
Now all we have to do is get rid of the democratic congress and the republican congress as far as that goes. And America will survive. Congress was put into place in the horse and buggy day's, now we live in the technology world and people don't need congressmen to making decision for them on capital hill. We can do it ourselves over the internet.
Posted by: William F. E. | Mar 21, 2008 7:54:34 AM
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