Monday, August 20, 2007

Congress '08: Another Ohio Retiree?

A favorite sport in Washington these days is spotting the Republican retirees. With majority days behind them, many Republican lawmakers are cashing in their chips and others are rumored. Here in Ohio, Deborah Pryce has announced her retirement and Ralph Regula sounds like he's on his way out. Now the Springfield News-Sun is speculating that the Seventh District's David Hobson (R-Springfield) is also considering calling it quits.

Hobson is 70, a ex-military man, pro-defense but all in all an apparent moderate. In the last election he was opposed by William Conner, also retired Air Force who, as a political novice in a well-drawn Republican district, managed almost 40% of the vote. Connner says he plans to run again. It's a long shot, but if Conner runs as a hawkish D and an outsider, he may be able to swipe another seat.

According to the Sun-News, the Republicans may run State Sen. Steve Austria who is term-limited and a close ally of Hobson. Having a successor waiting in the wings may make it easier for Hobson to walk. In any event, another district in play will make things more fun all around.

1 comments:

Ben said...

You never like to see your parry have open seats because anything can happen, but if either of these two congressman retires, Republicans would start off as prohibitve favorites to retain the seats.