GRAHAM RETIRES

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GRAHAM RETIRES

James Joyner | Monday, November 3, 2003

AP also reports,

Sen. Bob Graham, who dropped his bid for the Democratic nomination for president last month, has decided not to seek re-election to a fourth Senate term in 2004, a source close to Graham said Monday.

Graham, a former Florida governor, said there were other things he wanted to do, the source said. The source said Graham had pledged to help the Democratic Party keep the seat in Democratic hands.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Graham was expected to make the announcement later Monday.

Graham’s decision further complicates hopes by the Democrats to regain control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-48 majority, with one Democratic-leaning independent.

He is the fourth southern Democrat to announce he will not run again, joining Georgia’s Zell Miller, South Carolina’s Fritz Hollings, and North Carolina’s John Edwards.

Graham is considered one of the most popular politicians in Florida, where he has served in the Senate since 1987. While the state GOP said his presidential campaign might make him vulnerable, analysts considered Graham to be a strong candidate for re-election.

The 2004 Senate races should be quite interesting.

About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.

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