Kolbe won't seek re-election

[Ptah]

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.23.2005
advertisement
U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe, a leading proponent of free trade and the only openly gay Republican in Congress, announced Wednesday he won't seek a 12th term in 2006.
Kolbe, first elected in 1984, acknowledged in 1996 that he is gay and has often disagreed with his party on gay rights issues.
Kolbe, 63, released a statement saying he'd concluded it was time he and his district "walk down different paths."

"I make this decision not out of despair or discouragement or even uncertainty about my political prospects for election," he said. "I have both the energy and the enthusiasm for the job I do, and I am confident that I would win re-election if I chose to run."


http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/103901

[Fridays Child]

1. Good! Now, I'd like to see Mary Judge Ryan run again.

She would make a great representative.

[Ptah]

2. Yes, I like her to run.

Do you know anything about this guy?

http://www.jefflatas.com/

[Fridays Child]

3. No, but his bio looks excellent.

Retired Air Force pilot and, currently, a JetBlue captain. His son, a soldier, was apparently injured in Iraq.

[Ptah]

4. I'm excited to think we could have

a Dem to represent us in congress.

Repub majority down by one.
Just 20 more to go!

[zaj]

5. Any more specific reasons given than "walk down different paths"?

It almost sounds like either he felt like he was being pushed out, or that he has given up on this own party and rather than switch to Indy or Dem, he is retiring.

But that's pure speculation on my part.

[Wetzelbill]

6. Love to see Tom Volgy run...

I'd run for the helluvit if I were staying. Just to do it. I considered it anyway, running as a college student, but I'm going back to MT to run for ST Senate most likely.

[tyedyeto]

7. From the article in the AZ Star:

Who might run now?
Randy Graf, a Green Valley Republican, is the only announced candidate for the seat in 2006. Graf, who lost to Kolbe in the 2004 primary by about 10,000 votes out of 62,000 cast, has been counting on increased voter interest in illegal immigration to give him the edge next time.
State Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, a Tucson Democrat, plans to form an exploratory committee to consider running for Kolbe's seat.
Ray Carroll, a Republican on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, said Wednesday that he'll review the situation over the weekend.
State Rep. Steve Huffman, a Tucson Republican, said the open seat in Congress could tempt him.
Tim Sultan, a former aide to Gov. Janet Napolitano and a Democrat, ran for Kolbe's seat last year. He has said he's ready to run again.
Eva Bacal, a Democrat, ran against Kolbe last year and said she might run again.
Mike Jenkins, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Tucson City Council in 2003, said he may announce soon.
Jeff Latas, a Democrat, Air Force veteran and commercial airline pilot who lives in Oro Valley, recently formed an exploratory committee.

http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/metro/104027

[Ptah]

9. "Jeff Latas,

a Democrat, Air Force veteran and commercial airline pilot who lives in Oro Valley, recently formed an exploratory committee."


http://www.jefflatas.com

This guy, Jeff Latas, was running before Kolbe announced his retirement.
That's worth worth a couple of points with me.

[tyedyeto]

8. Kolbe seemed to signal his move with his votes

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/104429.php

By C.J. Karamargin
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.28.2005

Maybe Jim Kolbe was trying to tell us something. Maybe the 11-term Tucson congressman has been dropping hints all year that this would be his last tour of duty in D.C.

Consider his position on the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. As the only openly gay Republican in Congress, it's hardly a surprise that Kolbe is against the ban on openly gay soldiers, sailors and airmen.

But Kolbe assumed a somewhat rare high-profile stance on the matter last April when he became one of only a handful of GOP co-sponsors of a bill to repeal the 12-year-old policy.

Or consider his position on Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman at the center of an all-out moral and legal battle last March. Whether her feeding tube should be removed was turned into a pitched pro-life battle by House Republicans and President Bush.

More.....