Shays Says He'll Not Run Again If Denied Chairmanship

[Pale Blue Dot]

Source: Hartford Courant

Rep. Christopher Shays said today he will not seek another congressional term unless House Republican leaders support his bid for the job of top GOP member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

He is meeting with leaders and other key members now.

If they do not give him significant backing "I'm absolutely not going to run," said Shays, who said he is giving no one any deadline.

Even if he runs and wins, and somehow gets denied the top Republican spot anyway in 2009, "I will resign," Shays said.

"I'm 61 years old. I've been in Congress 20 years. If I have to fight to become chairman of a committee, given the job I've done, I need to move on," Shays said in an interview this morning.

Read more: http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hcu-shaysrun-0914,0,3866938.story?coll=hc_tab01_layout

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This is huge. This would be an extremely viable pickup opportunity for the Democrats. Even if Shays does get promised the chairmanship, the CT papers are all starting to wonder if the guy's lost his marbles.

For those who don't know, Shays is one of 2 rabid Republicans left in national office in CT. (Lieberman's the other one.)

[MadMaddie]

1. bye..bye...

[Autumn Colors]

2. Oh hell and I just moved out of his district!!!!!

Argh...... Been voting against him ever since I lived in his district. NOW he goes and does this after I've moved (my new congress critter is a Democrat). I can still help try to get Lieberman's ass out of office, though.

[rwheeler31]

3. That shows his priorities, what a tool.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. Oh my. That's a fearsome threat there.

MKJ

[Historic NY]

5. Don't let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.............

bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[jaysunb]

6. He wasn't going to re elected anyway.

This kinda reminds me of Bush and his phoney troop withdrawl w/ troops that were coming home anyway.

Shays has been "toast" since the day after he squeaked back into office in 06.

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. Making a virtue of necessity

Look for Shays to come up with 1,001 ways to make his exit look graceful. Guy just doesn't want to lose. His ultimatums will grow more and more shrill as an opponent steps up and his poll numbers plummet.

[TwilightGardener]

7. He's taking his ball and going home. Maybe CT can find someone less

childish and power-hungry to take his seat--a good Dem.

[rodeodance]

8. ha ha,jockying for positions already.

[TommyO]

9. Why doesn't he just hold his breath until his face turns blue?

It would have the same effect.

[Vidar]

22. It's always worked for Joe Lieberman.

[Arugula Latte]

10. I know just the vehicle to transport him back to Connecticut:

[Mnemosyne]

11. Whiners Unite! Alert Ted Stevens. Does Shays need to find a reason to

resign?

They seem to be dropping like flies. :rofl:

[Nite Owl]

12. Oh stop having a tantrum

Mr. Shays and just go. One more seat for us.

[Exultant Democracy]

13. I've had my run ins with Shays, and he is a dick, but if he had been

the chair of the over site committee over the last 6 years he might have curtailed some of the sit that went down. 'm not saying he is good, cause he is not, but he is a lot better then most of the republicans (and a few too many Dem's.)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. So, that's why it's OK for him to throw a tantrum and make threats aimed at his Congressional

colleagues?

:shrug: MKJ

[Exultant Democracy]

15. Well he is probably going to give us another house seat, but aside from that I don't

care much when a moderate Republican makes threats against the rest of the GOP.

[girl_interrupted]

16. Cry Baby Cry

what a twit.

[Exultant Democracy]

17. So you prefer when the moderate republican sit back and let their even

nuttier counterparts run things?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

26. Well, I'll take the "trying for reality" Dems over the "I'm nuttier than my colleague" R's anytime.

MKJ

[Exultant Democracy]

29. That is a given. I'm just baffled that people ono DU would give Shays shit for this

it is a win win for us.

[Nutmegger]

18. He can't possibly win the next election.

He has been a joke for some time now. It's time to get a true Dem in office and make the Connecticut delegation completely blue!

[cali]

19. Shays is a dead man walking

No way he wins next year. And I know that neck of the woods. Grew up there, and all my family still lives there.

[Olney Blue]

20. He must really like oversightin.

[xchrom]

21. piss and moan -- that's all the republick party is good for. n/t

[pretzel4gore]

23. a little question of criminality

Mike Malloy is right; for the most part the gopig is a criminal org, like the mafia or the cali cartel....it should be subject to RICO statute. Shay belongs in prison. He has murdered people.

[TheCowsCameHome]

24. Haha. Maybe Joe can run in your place and have both CT seats.

The lifeboats are getting full.

I love this stuff.

[tanyev]

25. Enough of this ridiculous claptrap about being elected to serve my constituents!

I am here to accumulate power, and to make lucrative contacts that I can call on after I leave Congress. So there.

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. What does it matter...it will still be a GOP minority

They're beating each other up over committee second fiddles?

:rofl:

[gratuitous]

33. Precisely; Shays won't chair anything from the minority

Although the story seems to be accurate (Shays wants to be the ranking party member on the committee), the headline about Shays demanding a chairmanship is just about two degrees south of totally goofy. Minority party congressmen don't get named to chair committees. Shays is having a very public temper tantrum. Head for the toy aisle in Target or Wal-Mart and you'll see the same thing with just a shade more dignity.

[stlsaxman]

30. Cry Baby Chris, meet Cry Baby Boener!

i'm sure you'll both get along famously!

:cry: -"hi there Chris! pleased to meet you!" :cry: -"Is your name REALLY Boner?!?!?"

[jazzjunkysue]

31. Introducing the DU Noppity String Quartet of Pity!

:nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity:

I can't wait for my first chance to vote against Shays and Joe "The Kiss" Lieberman in mynew voting district!

[LeftishBrit]

32. Good. The more Republican infighting, the better.

[Toots]

34. I doubt any Republican will be Chairman of any committee in the near future.

A quote from another Republican that sort of tells the story.
"The Republicans have kind of lost touch with reality." Made by a Republican from Colorado.