Posted on 01/18/2011 6:55:14 AM PST by sunmars
North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad plans to announce his retirement today, according to two informed Democratic sources, creating a potentially prime pickup opportunity for Republicans in a GOP-leaning state. Conrad, who currently chairs the Senate Budget Committee, has been in office since 1986 and risen to become one of the most influential -- and intellectual -- policy makers operating in the nation's capital. Conrad had been open about his ambivalence about running for another term and those doubts almost certainly increased following a 2010 election that decimated the Democratic party. Former Sen. Byron Dorgan retired in the face of a challenge from popular Governor-now-Senator John Hoeven while former Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D) was defeated by Rick Berg. Outside interest groups -- the conservative American Future Fund and liberal-aligned Commonsense Ten -- have already run ads in North Dakota, suggesting that the race would be a major priority for both national parties. And, Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk (R) had already announced an exploratory committee to pursue a challenge to Conrad. The GOP field is likely to expand considerably in the wake of Conrad's retirement. Among Democrats, Pomeroy as well as former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp and her brother Joel Heitkamp are seen as possibilities. And, Democrats insist they will contest the seat with no Hoeven-like figure on the horizon for Republicans. Conrad is the first Democrat to decide not to seek reelection. Last week, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) announced she would not run again. There are 23 Democrats and Democratic-aligned independents up for reelection in 2012 as compared to 10 Republicans.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
ciao to another rat
Great news...rats jumping off the ship, gotta love that.
And it will be in a presidential election year in which ND will go solidly GOP.
Woohoo! My state does a 180 - two “D’s” as Senators retire and our “D” congressman gets beat by an “R” in the last election. Love it!
Obviuosly knew he was going to be out on his ear in 12.
Who is there to run in ND? My minds gone blank.
Hey! Why wait?
haha the Dems want to run Earl Pomeroy in 12.
For those who like the odd, I call this a 'fnord' which is what one calls a word you are supposed to absorb but never remember that you saw. The intent is subliminal, but with this article we see a stark example of how the ruling-class press does it (and no, it's not mine to begin with: I cribbed it from Robert Anton Wilson, who is no particular role-model, but did come up with a neat word for something that should really get more play than it does).
Conrad obviously think running with Obama on ticket in 12 severely kills him off. He’d be right.
big deal...he was gone in 2012 anyway.
Okay, so his term was up in 2012 and he sees his career disapation light blinking in his left eye.
There are 23 Dem seats up next year and with his departure, in a Republican leaning state there us a good chance we can pick up “a give me” and we only need to focus on 22 races.
If we demand Conservative candidates we can pick up a good sized slew of brokers who actually represent our views.
This could be a good start.
That is when he is leaving, got to roll up a couple more years on that over paid retirement plan.
Good riddance to the lying, contemptuous, Country Wide Kent. Go Kalk!
And don't forget those buzzwords. We now have "policy makers" in office, not statesmen or law makers.
(could this...ahem...reporter (spit) get his nose any further up Conrad's backside?)
Some names already being mentioned as potential candidates include former Rep. Earl Pomeroy, radio show host Joel Heitkamp and former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp.
Is he retiring immediately?
Or at the end of his term??
North Dakota has a new lieutenant governor, Drew Wrigley, who is young, accomplished, ambitious-—and ready to go.
He’s a North Dakota native who attended law school in D.C. I think-—Georgetown maybe? his wiki entry is deliberately vague about that stuff-—and has worked for federal prosecutors and federal judges I believe.
He was appointed LG after then-Governor John Hoeven (a rino) whipped the sitting Dem senator Byron Dorgan (an out-and-out commie) in the 2010 election. The sitting LG Jack Dalrymple (a good guy) moved into the governorship and Wrigley moved into Dalrymple’s old chair.
Wrigley would pound that musty old turd Pomeroy (an idiot who lost his congressional seat last fall) who may just be vain and foolish enough to run against him.
When I re-read the article (after posting of course) I inferred that he’ll run out the clock.
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