Five-term Connecticut Democrat Chris Dodd is holding a press conference today to announce his decision not to seek re-election. Dodd's exit highlights the challenges Democrats face winning votes from amnesiac Americans blaming them for the Bush administration's wreckage. But Dodd was facing a tough re-election battle against a super-rich Republican named Linda McMahon, and Democratic party insiders had privately hoped he would step aside. The state’s highly popular attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, is expected to run, the Times reports. But Dodd isn't the only Democrat calling it quits.
Democratic senator from North Dakota Byron Dorgan and Democratic Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado also announced their retirements. Some political analysts believe Republicans now have a very strong chance at picking up Dorgan's seat in North Dakota, where Obama lost by eight points in 2008 and John Kerry lost by 27 points in 2004. Still, many think Dorgan would have won a fourth term had he run, but now Republican Governor John Hoeven is expected to run. "Now that the Democrats are expected to drop under 60, we will probably see other retirements as Democrats decide they would rather retire than fight," Alex Castellanos, who advises the RNC, tells Politico.
And in Michigan, two-term Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm is also on her way out because of term limits, and Lt. Gov. John Cherry has dropped out of the race to replace her. Here in New York, Democratic party insiders would love Governor Paterson to reach the same decision, because his election prospects are seen as very weak. But Paterson is determined to run, and will deliver his State of the State address today at 1 p.m. (watch live), during which he's expected to make a "no-new-taxes" pledge.
