GOP Rep. Dave Weldon to Retire

FOX News ^ | 1/25/2008 | FOX News

[bilhosty]

Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., will retire at the end of his term, which ends next January, FOX News confirms. Weldon, first elected in the GOP tidal wave of 1994, is among some two dozen House Republican lawmakers who won't be running for re-election in November. Fox confirms that Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) will retire at the end of this term. He is the 25th House Republican to announce he will not seek Re-election. Weldon was first elected in the GOP tidal wave of 1994, and is serving his seventh term. He sits on the influential appropriations committee. Sources tell FOX that more retirements could be announced over the weekend, and January already has been a busy month for resignation and retirement announcments. Weldon's announcement comes on the heels of Thursday's announcement by Rep. Jim Walsh, R-N.Y., that he would not seek re-election. Last week, Rep. Richard Baker, R-La., said he will resign in February to head a hedge-fund management association, and the week before, embattled Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., said he would not seek another term.

[bilhosty]

I didn't know Walsh was leaving too. Walsh's district leans about 3% to the Dem's and given the political predisposition of the country now it looks like the Dems would likely win. Also Weldon's district is only 4% Republican so that will be contested.

[gidget7]

What is with all these retirements?? And they are not one who should, or we should expect to retire. Dem-in till death do them part. Rep-retiring left and right??

A few we would actually like to see retire, but no such luck with them.

[SeanOGuano]

FBI files?

[NonValueAdded]

See Congressman's Daughter Arrested For Simple Battery, Father Retires. Now you know the rest of the story. /PaulHarvey

[bshomoic]

Republicans are seeing little chance of winning back congress, so they are instead retiring. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy...

The GOP is looking at a long run as the minority party in the House

[gidget7]

Looks like a prime business opportunity, for someone who is savvy! make or sell hand baskets? Or better still, lifeboats!

[CPT Clay]

Wow 25 retirements!!!

Going to be very difficult to win back

[popdonnelly]

Great job being done by our Republican “leadership” in Congress.

[fweingart]

Bad news. Dr. Weldon was one of the few conservatives from Florida. RINO Martinez has endorsed McCain.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Have you ever noticed how DemocRATS NEVER retire from Congress? Their bodies are just removed from their offices after someone discovers that they have died.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

What is with all these retirements??

Because the writing's on the wall for the Stupid Party, and they're getting out while the getting's good.

[Owen]

Of the 3 already announced before this seat, two of them were solid GOP districts and will be a hold. The third is slightly Democrat and a moderate GOP competitor might hold.

For this seat, Weldon win in 2006 by 54-46. It looks like a safe GOP seat for a competent candidate neither rightward nor leftward of Weldon.

[gidget7]

Well that sounds a bit more encouraging. FYI Oganowski has announced he is running against Kerry for Senate. He is a Republican, a veteran, AND he is the brother of one of the Pilots, (I believe one of the planes that went into the towers), that were killed on 9/11 in the attacks. Hopefully if the word gets out nationwide, he can get a lot of support! Kerry gets money from all the leftist orgs, so we should get the word out for the “R”’s.

[Clintonfatigued]

They’re bailing out in serious numbers. Expect more as the months go by.

[Norman Bates]

Sheesh! We need a nominee with coattails!

[My Favorite Headache]

Agreed. Weldon is my local Rep. However, it is a heavy Republican area and the seat will be won again by an R.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Looks like another loss of 30 seats in the House. We didn’t learn our lesson in 2006.

[fweingart]

Didn’t you used to live in Naples, and didn’t we have some exchanges during the muslim rapist who worked at a local hotel?

[My Favorite Headache]

Yeah I used to live in Naples. Did we have exchanges? I am not sure...looks like you signed up in 2007 so I doubt it.

[bilhosty]

“Have you ever noticed how DemocRATS NEVER retire from Congress? Their bodies are just removed from their offices after someone discovers that they have died.”

They never seem to die as far as I can tell.When was the last time you heard of an aging leftist dieing? They seem to be like these old jewish ladies you see hanging around in major cities (average age 150 years).