Bart Stupak Retiring

bart-stupakIt’s been rumored for days but CNN makes it official: “Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, will reveal Friday he is retiring from Congress, Democratic sources tell CNN.”

Hardly shocking.  Stupak made himself a pariah among Democrats when he almost singlehandedly blocked healthcare reform in the House over abortion.  And then he made himself a pariah among Republicans when he flip-flopped after getting a meaningless declaration from President Obama.   He’s now a man without friends in a hostile district.

More from AP:

Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan tells The Associated Press he’ll retire from Congress rather than seek a 10th term this year.

Stupak has drawn stinging criticism from opponents of the recently enacted health care overhaul after leading a bloc of anti-abortion Democrats whose last-minute support was crucial to its approval by the House.

The Tea Party Express is calling for his defeat at rallies in his sprawling northern Michigan district this week.

But Stupak tells the AP the attacks didn’t influence his decision and he could win re-election if he tried.

He’s quitting out of kindness, I suppose.

FILED UNDER: 2010 Election, Congress, Healthcare Policy, US Politics, , , , , ,
James Joyner
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James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Idiot says:

    He sold his principals and now finds he has no friends on either side. Is this really a surprise?

  2. Triumph says:

    The fact that we will have one less Baby Killer in Congress should be celebrated.

  3. So is he Pancho or Lefty?

  4. James Joyner says:

    So is he Pancho or Lefty?

    Lefty, I think. We’ll know for sure if he heads for Ohio.

  5. Eric Florack says:

    I said at the time that he backed off of his demands as regards Obamacare, he was simply playing for a better job. Watch closely now for his next move, which will reveal what his price was to sell out is supposedly high morals.

    Of course, there is one other possibility, that being that he is reacting to the Tea Party specifically targeting him. This is an election year, after all. The thing is, neither of these possibilities will be covered in the mainstream media. If they will spin it as ‘being time to retire, now that his job as regards health care is completed’. The context of that spin can be found in smaller quantities on any stable floor, of course, but you watch, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

  6. Wayne says:

    How long before Obama appoints him to a cabinet position or lefty organization hires him for big bucks?

  7. Grewgills says:

    How long before Obama appoints him to a cabinet position or lefty organization hires him for big bucks?

    I’m willing to wager with you on that one. My guesses: in the Obama admin, never; lefty org, depends on the definition. Most likely he will try something more self directed.