U.S. Senator Hollings Says He Won't Run for Re-election in 2004

Bloomberg ^ | 8/4/03 | AP

[NYC Republican]

Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Ernest Hollings, a South Carolinian who criticized President George W. Bush's handling of the economy and media ownership rules, said he won't seek re- election next year after 38 years in Congress.

Fellow Democrats and political analysts have expected the announcement for several years from the 81-year-old former state governor. Hollings has raised $1.6 million, far behind the $6 million he generated from contributors for his 1998 run, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington- based research group.

[NYC Republican]

Great News, though not really a surprise...

[You Dirty Rats]

Consumer Advocate?

He HATED consumers!

Was that a joke?

[ALOHA RONNIE]

REPUBLICANS = The FREEDOM Party

DEMOCRATS = The Anti-FREEDOM Party

[kevao]

Dere's too much consuuuuumin' goin' on out dere.

[Tacis]

Does the reason he is going back to private life have anything to do with the open leadership positions now available in the Klan? I think the Exaulted High Kleagle of the Sacred and Mystic Order of the United Klans has just married a black girl and abandoned his mystic duties. Could be something that would be within Hollings' intellectual and ethical capabilities.

[votelife]

republicans "we the people"
democrats "we the government"

this isn't always true, but you get the point.

[OrioleFan]

He's headed home to raise the Confederate Flag above the state capitol again.

[KC_Conspirator]

Gee, not one mention Hollings was the one who raised the Confederate flag over the state capitol...

[dr_who_2]

Good riddance.

[Captain Peter Blood]

A good part of the reason may be that Hollings' daughter died, either earlier this years or late last year. He may just have decided that he wanted to spend more time with his family and grandchildren. So lets cut him a little slack here.

[exit82]

He couldn't stand not being in Strom's shadow any more.

[jagrmeister]

This is a GOP pickup in the Senate- probably by DeMint. Along with a pickup in Georgia, things are pretty safe in 2004. My guess is that we may pick up 2 or 3 seats. [Nevada, South Dakota, Florida, N. Carolina are also possibilities; with Illinois and Alaska being risks]

[Abram]

Hollings, although I did not agree with him too often, is one of the last of the "gentlemen" Senators. He will be missed as he was much more of a moderate or even conservative Democrats than many other Ds in the Senate. He was one of the last of his breed of Southern Democrats. This opens the way to a good chance for a Senate seat pickup. We will probably lose Illonis, but picking up GA and SC will help balm our wounds. Hopefully good solid races in NC, NV, FL will add two more to our column...maybe even SD. Interesting year...hopefully we can keep the conservative base happy and turn them out to vote when the rubber hits the road. The Ds are fighting right now between the DLC and the left. Let them tear themselves up. There is also a credible challenge up in Washington State too....anyone besides Benjamin going to take on Money-Bags Schumer? Benjamin seems interesting, but can he raise the money needed to compete in an extremely expensive race? Any other prospects? I don't have a list in front of me and I am heading out the door to go home from work after a long day...

Cheers to the Republican Party!!!! Let's not sit back and enjoy our laurels...maybe Congressman Inslee will run for Governor of Washington and we can hopefully elect a Conservative Republican back into the 1st District...Former Congressman Rick White...will you come back and run?

[NYC Republican]

I honestly think that a 2 or 3 seat pick-up would be a huge disappointment. We should have a decent shot at picking up SD (Daschle's seat), may lose Alaska and Illinois, but may pick up Arkansas, and a few other seats around the country. I'm expecting a net of 4 or 5 seats.

[Those_Crazy_Liberals]

Excellent. In any other profession, this guy's family would have committed him to a nursing home after last Thanksgiving's dinner.

[Those_Crazy_Liberals]

Do you think Huckabee is going to run for Senate in Arkansas?

[NYC Republican]

It's up in the air. He's not as popular as he was a couple of years ago... I was hoping that Hutchinson would throw his hat into the ring, but that doesn't look as likely now...

[alrea]

his plantation home was funded long ago by his lobbying and lying for trial lawyers

[CroftonFreeper]

I beg to differ. Have you seen this dolts statement about not running again on his web site ? Its as mean an attack on GWB as I've seen. I let the old fart know what I thought. You can too. http://hollings.senate.gov/contact/Webform.cfm

[Those_Crazy_Liberals]

"It's up in the air. He's not as popular as he was a couple of years ago... I was hoping that Hutchinson would throw his hat into the ring, but that doesn't look as likely now... "

The former Senator? Hmm. My reading leads me to believe that only Huckabee could beat the current Senator. We really need to knock her off to maintain our stronghold on the south. I would hate to have Arkansas to turn into Louisiana with a conservative male dem and a flaming liberal dem woman senator.