Voinovich's Red Cape

Did Sen. George Voinovich just announce that he will retire after this term? What he said is:

"We're going to have to raise more money in this country. Did you hear me? We're going to have to increase taxes in order to do the job," Sen. Voinovich said. "Anyone that tells you that's not the case isn't being truthful with you. They're not being intellectually honest with you. [From an ODP presser quoting Gongwer]

But in the modern Republican Party, that's tantamount to declaring you no longer want to be an elected official. Voinovich is waving a red cape in the face of the dominant economic conservative wing of the party, begging for a primary challenge. The sound you hear is a hundred right wing Ohio electeds stampeding to get on the phone with Club for Growth and ask for their blessing.