Ex-Rep. Mark Schauer says he won't run in 2012

[The Northerner]

Former U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer said today he won't enter a rematch for the congressional seat now held by Tim Walberg, ending chances that voters in south-central Michigan's 7th District would decide a third consecutive contest between the pair.

Last year, Walberg beat the Battle Creek Democrat in a contentious rematch of their 2008 race in which Schauer unseated the Tipton Republican after Walberg served one term.

It was expected that Schauer would try to take back the seat in 2012, a year that could prove more favorable to Democrats with Democratic President Barack Obama at the top of the ticket.

But in an e-mail sent today to supporters, the 49-year-old former state lawmaker said he was enjoying spending more time with his family and helping oversee an initiative for the joint labor-environmentalist group the BlueGreen Alliance. He also cited the new Republican-backed congressional redistricting map, which moved his hometown of Battle Creek from his former district.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110727/NEWS15/110727036/Ex-Rep-Mark-Schauer-says-he-won-t-run-12

[Denninmi]

1. That's too bad.

Schauer seemed like one of the good guys. I live about 40 miles from the boundary of his district. Walberg is a definite ass.