Posted on 01/24/2010 4:24:26 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry is expected to announce his retirement tomorrow morning, according to three sources briefed on the decision.
Berry will become the sixth Democrat in a competitive seat to leave in the last two months but the first to announce his retirement since the party's special election loss in Massachusetts last Tuesday.
"The message coming out of the Massachusetts special election is clear: No Democrat is safe," said National Republican Congressional Committee communications director Ken Spain.
Berry, first elected in 1996, had been noncommittal about his re-election bid for months although, privately, his allies insisted he was planning to run for re-election.
While Berry had rarely been challenged in the 1st district over the past decade or so, the seat has a clear Republican tilt as Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) won it with 59 percent in 2008.
Arkansas will be a huge focus of Republican efforts in the fall with Berry and Rep. Vic Snyder (D) retiring and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) in deep trouble as she seek re-election.
The field to replace Berry isn't yet set although Democrats mentioned include state Rep. Keith Ingram, Berry chief of staff Chad Causey and Jason Willett, a former state party chair. On the Republican side, broadcaster Rick Crawford is in the race.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
The official announcememt is tomorrow morning, but it seems that the shot in Massachusetts is echoing in Arkansas.
*thud* as another bites the dust. And I believe Charlie Cook had this one in the dem column.
BTTT
As delighted as I am every time one of these guys jumps, falls, or is pushed...
...I can’t help but wonder how much worse whoever “they” have queued up to replace them will be.
Good. Let them all go home.
Whoah, huge news! From likely Dem to likely Republican in one day!
And to think that just a few hours ago I was speculating on FR that the reason why Berry hadn’t announced for reelection was because he was keeping his options open in case Lincoln dropped out of the Senatd race.
Yes, drain the swamp.
Wise move, Democrat!
The obvious lack of a “(D)” from the headline...
If the GOP can grab Berry and Snyder’s seats, then I’ll finally believe that Arkansans have woke up. I’ll be holding my breath...
Sweet, sweet music!
did a b*tch set him ?! oops, wrong marion...
100 Seats will change hands, mark my word, this isn’t a wave, its a tsunami. But lets see if the Tea Party really takes over the Republican Party. We here in NY are doing our part.
“100 Seats will change hands, mark my word, this isn’t a wave, its a tsunami.”
Your confidence is inspiring. I hope that it happens. Such a thing in one cycle hasn’t happened since the 1800’s.
In this case, he’ll be replaced by a Republican.
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