Posted on 10/21/2013 6:55:28 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican
Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) will retire after two terms in office.
The congressman said in a statementthat he's leaving Congress to spend more time with his family, opening up a Republican-leaning district and a coveted spot on the House Ways & Means Committee.
"God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, Elizabeth, and two precious children, and for several months Elizabeth and I have been discussing whether to seek a third term in Congress, especially considering the formative ages of Mary Katherine and John. It has been an agonizing and difficult decision involving much prayer, thought and discussion. We have decided that now is the time for me to focus intently on my top priority, my family, as Elizabeth and I raise our two young children,” Griffin says.
"To that end, I will not seek re-election to a third term. I will complete my second term, but I have made no decision as to my plans after Congress except that I will continue in public service, including as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve."
Griffin was elected to an open seat during the 2010 Republican wave election, and easily won reelection last fall. His district is one of the more competitive in Arkansas — President Obama won 43 percent there in 2012 — and Griffin says he made the decision "sooner rather than later" to give other Republicans ample time to organize a campaign.
Democrats say former Arkansas Lieutenant Gov. Bill Halter (D) and former North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hayes (D) are both giving serious consideration to running for the seat.
This post was updated at 9:40 a.m.
LOL! Good stuff.
He didn’t stick around long. Too bad. But it’s refreshing to see a politician who doesn’t make a career out of it and who is devoted to his family.
D ick
Is that the correct way of describing Halter’s party affiliation?
State Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson ? His district is in Little Rock. Scott Wallace, a businessman, was Griffin’s GOP primary opponent in 2010, and he scored a respectable 38%.
How cynical am I, could his explanation actually be true? LOL.
That would be refreshing. So few just walk away after 2 terms.
We probably won’t get as lucky as to have the democrats nominate someone like that ultraliberal Black lady who ran in 2010. Bill Halter tried to take out Blanche from the left though.
Update: Tim Griffin is running for Lt. Governor: http://www.timgriffinforarkansas.com/
I’m not going to say that he wasn’t telling the truth when he said that he was retiring from Congress to devote time to his young family, since being Lt. Gov. would allow him to live full-time in their home near Little Rock (as opposed to spending most of the year in DC).
I wonder if any of the GOP candidates will drop out of the Lt. Gov. race now. I feel bad for Andy Mayberry.
Adding to the confusion, Debra Hobbs dropped her run for Governor and has now gotten into the Lt Governor race as well. I see no reason not to switch over to these others if Mayberry got in earlier.
I took notice that it appears despite recruiting a “name” candidate for AR-2 on the Dem side, Patrick Hays has apparently no money. Banker & Bushie French Hill has a big financial lead in the race ($600k). In AR-4, James Lee Witt has $250k on the Dem side to try to take back the seat.
I still remain concerned about the Governor’s race as long as Asa Hutchinson stays in. With Hobbs out, I’m endorsing Curtis Coleman.
Can we get a real conservative into this house seat?
I don’t know who the Tea Party candidates are in AR-2 & 4.
Weird developments.
Does Coleman have what it takes to give Asa a race-a?
Tom Cotton, of AR #4 and an AR Senate Candidate also voted "aye".
Gentlemen, you are mistaken. Both Griffin and Cotton voted "Nay" on the "clean" Debt Ceiling bill.
Wrong again, my friend.
Capito voted "Nay", along with Griffin and Cotton.
Check the roll call in the previous post.
I don’t know the money situation between the two.
Or maybe it's a polite way of saying, "I'm sick and tired of dealing with morons like Eric Cantor, John Boehner, and Nancy Pelosi all day." Given the way things are in DC and the kind of people in Congress I can't say I'd want anything to do with them.
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