Sen. Chris Dodd (D) Will Not Seek Re-election

[RockX]

Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, is set to announce he will not seek re-election this fall, Fox News confirmed early Wednesday.

The five-term Democrat's decision is the latest in a string of big-name Democratic retirements revealed on Tuesday as the party struggles to contend with a challenging political climate.

Word of his retirement came hours after North Dakota Democrat Byron Dorgan announced he will not seek re-election, stunning many in his party.

The departure of Dodd, first elected to the Senate in 1980, carries the most symbolic value because of his seniority and his close association with the financial system bailout and other economic policies.

Dodd, 66, is chairman of Senate Banking Committee, which was at the center of efforts to deal with the economic meltdown. And he has played a prominent role in the debate over overhauling health care, taking over for his friend Ted Kennedy during his illness and then after his death.

Given Dodd's bad poll standing, other Democrats have gone out of their way to give him the spotlight in hopes he could recover before November.

With the embattled Dodd stepping aside, Democrats can now try to recruit a more popular candidate to run in Democratic-leaning state, bolstering the prospects of thwarting a Republican victory.

Dodd, who has taken heat for a discounted VIP mortgage loan he got from a subprime lender, has been consistently behind potential GOP challenger Rob Simmons in Connecticut polls. Simmons, a former House member, has his own challenger in World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon, who is also seeking the Republican nomination for Dodd's seat.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/06/report-sen-chris-dodd-announce-retirement/


Another crooked rat jumping ship.

 

[The Dude]

I read a couple other dems are retiring (read becoming lobbyist).
It's thier turn to get PAID!!!!!!!!!


THE DUDE ABIDES

 

[Bonestorm]

Dodd retiring is actually good news for the Democrats. The only way that the Republicans could pick up the seat was if Dodd ran. With Dodd out, the AG Blumenthal will run for the seat and the Republican chances of beating him are quite slim.

 

[Jarod]

In CT, this is good news for the Democrats because while Dodd would have had a hard time getting reelected, the leading Democrat, I forget his name, will not!

In other states, like North Dakota, retirement of the Democratic Senator is bad news for the Democrats as the Republicans will very likely get the seat!

 

[Jarod]

Dodd retiring is actually good news for the Democrats. The only way that the Republicans could pick up the seat was if Dodd ran. With Dodd out, the AG Blumenthal will run for the seat and the Republican chances of beating him are quite slim.

What he said!

 

[leaningright]

Jarod and Nigel have it right I think...

"A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Connecticut now finds Dodd attracting just 35% to 40% of the vote against three possible Republican challengers. "

More at link: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub...ecticut/election_2010_connecticut_senate_race

 

[Damocles]

Too many of these are happening for there not to be something interesting going on in the background. Did they receive calls from the White House? I mean, WTF?

 

[Bonestorm]

Too many of these are happening for there not to be something interesting going on in the background. Did they receive calls from the White House? I mean, WTF?

The only one that makes any sense for White House involvement is Dodd. There's no way in hell that the White House wanted Dorgan to retire and I can't imagine they give a shit about the CO governor's race (no offense).

 

[Damocles]

The only one that makes any sense for White House involvement is Dodd. There's no way in hell that the White House wanted Dorgan to retire and I can't imagine they give a shit about the CO governor's race (no offense).

You ignore the swing status of CO and the importance they put on it.

However, with Ritter I still believe it is likely that there is something troubling about his involvement in the Voorhis issue during his campaign. The same issue that got Villafuerte to "withdraw" her nomination for US Attorney. It started hounding him the last half of last year, and Napolitano said she was going to get to the bottom of the issue just before her withdrawal and now Ritter's sudden departure from a race he had already started collecting funds to run...

But I am digressing. Way too many Congressmen and Senators are suddenly deciding not to run for coincidence. There is something going on in the background we aren't privy to yet.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

You ignore the swing status of CO and the importance they put on it.

However, with Ritter I still believe it is likely that there is something troubling about his involvement in the Voorhis issue during his campaign. The same issue that got Villafuerte to "withdraw" her nomination for US Attorney. It started hounding him the last half of last year, and Napolitano said she was going to get to the bottom of the issue just before her withdrawal and now Ritter's sudden departure from a race he had already started collecting funds to run...

But I am digressing. Way too many Congressmen and Senators are suddenly deciding not to run for coincidence. There is something going on in the background we aren't privy to yet.

They are taking out the vulnerable Dems and replacing them with 'fresh faces' that cannot be tied to the debacles of health care, cap and trade, the financial meltdown etc.... so that they have a better chance to win.

Dorgan is probably the exception to that as he stood a better chance at holding the seat than a new Dem will have of winning it.

 

[Canceled1]

Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, is set to announce he will not seek re-election this fall, Fox News confirmed early Wednesday.

The five-term Democrat's decision is the latest in a string of big-name Democratic retirements revealed on Tuesday as the party struggles to contend with a challenging political climate.

Word of his retirement came hours after North Dakota Democrat Byron Dorgan announced he will not seek re-election, stunning many in his party.

The departure of Dodd, first elected to the Senate in 1980, carries the most symbolic value because of his seniority and his close association with the financial system bailout and other economic policies.

Dodd, 66, is chairman of Senate Banking Committee, which was at the center of efforts to deal with the economic meltdown. And he has played a prominent role in the debate over overhauling health care, taking over for his friend Ted Kennedy during his illness and then after his death.

Given Dodd's bad poll standing, other Democrats have gone out of their way to give him the spotlight in hopes he could recover before November.

With the embattled Dodd stepping aside, Democrats can now try to recruit a more popular candidate to run in Democratic-leaning state, bolstering the prospects of thwarting a Republican victory.

Dodd, who has taken heat for a discounted VIP mortgage loan he got from a subprime lender, has been consistently behind potential GOP challenger Rob Simmons in Connecticut polls. Simmons, a former House member, has his own challenger in World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon, who is also seeking the Republican nomination for Dodd's seat.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/06/report-sen-chris-dodd-announce-retirement/


Another crooked rat jumping ship.

More than Dodd it seems:


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100106/ap_on_go_co/us_democrats2010


And to think: This kinda news coming out and they can't blame FOX for partisan reporting!

 

[Bonestorm]

More than Dodd it seems:


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100106/ap_on_go_co/us_democrats2010


And to think: This kinda news coming out and they can't blame FOX for partisan reporting!

The funniest thing about this type of reporting is that there are more Republican Senators that Democratic Senators that have announced that they won't seek re-election, more Republican Representatives than Democratic Representatives that have announced that they won't seek re-election and more Republican governors than Democratic governors that have announced that they won't seek re-election. To claim that the number of retirements is causing all these problems for Democrats when there are more Republicans retiring is quite odd.

And while the Dorgan announcement will cause heartburn and perhaps Ritter, with Dodd announcing the Democrats are breathing a sign of relief.

 

[Damocles]

The funniest thing about this type of reporting is that there are more Republican Senators that Democratic Senators that have announced that they won't seek re-election, more Republican Representatives than Democratic Representatives that have announced that they won't seek re-election and more Republican governors than Democratic governors that have announced that they won't seek re-election. To claim that the number of retirements is causing all these problems for Democrats when there are more Republicans retiring is quite odd.

And while the Dorgan announcement will cause heartburn and perhaps Ritter, with Dodd announcing the Democrats are breathing a sign of relief.

The oddity of it is in the timing, and the very real oddity of a first-term governor in a state where we historically elect incumbents quitting for no apparent reason.

Can you list the Republican governors that have announced in the last 10 months of an election cycle that they are quitting?

 

[Canceled1]

The funniest thing about this type of reporting is that there are more Republican Senators that Democratic Senators that have announced that they won't seek re-election, more Republican Representatives than Democratic Representatives that have announced that they won't seek re-election and more Republican governors than Democratic governors that have announced that they won't seek re-election. To claim that the number of retirements is causing all these problems for Democrats when there are more Republicans retiring is quite odd.

And while the Dorgan announcement will cause heartburn and perhaps Ritter, with Dodd announcing the Democrats are breathing a sign of relief.

Take it up with the AP, Nigel. You're preaching to the choir and shooting the messenger.

 

[Damocles]

They are taking out the vulnerable Dems and replacing them with 'fresh faces' that cannot be tied to the debacles of health care, cap and trade, the financial meltdown etc.... so that they have a better chance to win.

Dorgan is probably the exception to that as he stood a better chance at holding the seat than a new Dem will have of winning it.

The thing of it is they are left with only the famous that can take his place, without name recognition the new candidate will be left holding an empty bag.

Hickenlooper will have a hard time running statewide, and the dude running (and losing) against the ever unpopular Michael Bennett, Andrew Romanov, isn't really gaining any momentum for that same reason.

I think they'll try to avoid a primary battle and attempt to anoint Romanov for that race, but he'll wind up being a sacrificial lamb.

 

[Bonestorm]

The oddity of it is in the timing, and the very real oddity of a first-term governor in a state where we historically elect incumbents quitting for no apparent reason.

Can you list the Republican governors that have announced in the last 10 months of an election cycle that they are quitting?

You're basically asking which Republican governors announced this month that they are retiring. With that time restriction, none.

Though I can recall a prominent first-term Republican governor that quite oddly announced not only her intention not to run for re-election but that quit her post as governor. Admittedly, I though that some other shoe had to drop (like you suspect with Ritter) but none did.

 

[Damocles]

You're basically asking which Republican governors announced this month that they are retiring. With that time restriction, none.

Though I can recall a prominent first-term Republican governor that quite oddly announced not only her intention not to run for re-election but that quit her post as governor. Admittedly, I though that some other shoe had to drop (like you suspect with Ritter) but none did.

So you can list an oddity that we spoke about nonstop (we even continue to talk about that one), you just want us to ignore this one because we supposedly are "ignoring" that other then. Am I getting your take on this correctly?

Seriously, you want us to ignore this because it looks pretty bad when they start cutting and running in the middle of a race. One thing about Palin, she wasn't even running... although that didn't change the oddity of it or even get one of us to beg you to quit talking about it because other people have quit before.

 

[Bonestorm]

So you can list an oddity that we spoke about nonstop (we even continue to talk about that one), you just want us to ignore this one because we supposedly are "ignoring" that other then. Am I getting your take on this correctly?

Seriously, you want us to ignore this because it looks pretty bad when they start cutting and running in the middle of a race. One thing about Palin, she wasn't even running... although that didn't change the oddity of it or even get one of us to beg you to quit talking about it because other people have quit before.

My only criticism was that the news article emphasized that the number of Democrats retiring as causing "heartburn" while the fact of the matter is that more Republicans have announced their retirements than Democrats.

And, on the timing point, Dorgan was a surprise. I have no idea about Ritter. Dodd, on the other hand, was not surprising at all.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

The thing of it is they are left with only the famous that can take his place, without name recognition the new candidate will be left holding an empty bag.

Hickenlooper will have a hard time running statewide, and the dude running (and losing) against the ever unpopular Michael Bennett, Andrew Romanov, isn't really gaining any momentum for that same reason.

I think they'll try to avoid a primary battle and attempt to anoint Romanov for that race, but he'll wind up being a sacrificial lamb.

I think McInnis is a pretty good lock for Governor now. I can't see the Dems drumming up anyone else that would have a chance. Hickenlooper would not do well in my opinion statewide.

 

[Damocles]

My only criticism was that the news article emphasized that the number of Democrats retiring as causing "heartburn" while the fact of the matter is that more Republicans have announced their retirements than Democrats.

And, on the timing point, Dorgan was a surprise. I have no idea about Ritter. Dodd, on the other hand, was not surprising at all.

And again, I'd like a list of those Republicans that quit in the middle of their campaigns giving almost no time for the person who has to take over like this...

(Obviously not Dodd).

We're waiting.