Chris Dodd is retiring.

[cali]

Chris Dodd to step aside

Embattled Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd (D) has scheduled a press conference at his home in Connecticut Wednesday at which he is expected to announce he will not seek re-election, according to sources familiar with his plans.

Dodd's retirement comes after months of speculation about his political future, and amid faltering polling numbers and a growing sense among the Democratic establishment that he could not win a sixth term. It also comes less than 24 hours after Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) announced he would not seek re-election.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is widely expected to step into the void filled by Dodd and, at least at first blush, should drastically increase Democrats' chances of holding the seat.

Blumenthal, who has served as state Attorney General since 1990, is the most popular politician in the state and has long coveted a Senate seat; he had already signaled that he would run for the Democratic nomination against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) in 2012. (A sidenote: Assuming Blumenthal gets in to the race, Rep. Chris Murphy could be the long-term beneficiary as he is widely regarded as a rising star and would be at the top of the list of Democratic hopefuls to challenge Lieberman in 2012.)


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http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/

[hfojvt]

1. sorta good news and bad news

I liked Dodd during the Democratic primaries, but I also bought Freddie Mac stock based on him insisting that the companies were sound, and kinda got burned big time when it went from $5.50 to $1.10 in about a day.

Also good if it gives us a better chance of winning, and I really prefer term limits anyway rather than lifetime tenure.

[JCMach1]

2. Good, we will most likely have a better shot at retaining his seat this way.

[LooseWilly]

3. I donated to Dodd in '08 when he took time out to stand up against the telecom immunity bill.

He seems to have his corporatist moments, but he showed some heart. I can't help but think that, had he been able to produce some real health insurance reform, he might've had something to run on in the face of general discontent with incumbents.

The party's disinterest in producing reforms anywhere near as sweeping as those that came out of the HELP committee... or even fighting for what came out of the committee... I suspect went a long ways toward convincing Dodd not to bother trying for another term. Hell, I'd retire too if I were him.

[sandnsea]

5. The HELP Bill was attacked by the left too

I don't hear any of them admitting they were wrong to do that.

I don't blame Dorgan or Dodd or any others for retiring. It's pretty clear that most people in this country have no desire to unite or even consider another point of view for the sake of progress.

[jbnow]

7. There is that, but also both were polling poorly. It is a more

fitting end that they step aside rather than lose their seats after so many years.

[Raine]

4. He can afford to now

after getting all that big pharma money. x(

[arcadian]

8. That and sweetheart deals from industry lobbyists

the guy is a crook.

[MoJoWorkin]

6. It could be partly due to health concerns, too.

I am surprised they aren't mentioning that.