Politics

GOP Retirements Make Dems Giddy - And Donors Angry

January 31, 2008 / 6:15 PM EST / The Politico

Williamsburg, Va. - A spate of Republican retirements in the last week has bouyed House Democrats who are gearing up for the first defense of their majority since bouncing Republicans from power in 2006.

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told members Wednesday night that the field of competitive races has expanded to almost 70 seats, the overwhelming majority of which are currently occupied by Republicans.

In the last week alone, five senior Republicans announced their decision not to seek reelection. Those departures mean 28 GOP lawmakers in the House have either resigned, announced their intent to seek a higher office or decided to retire - the highest number of Republicans to call it quits during a single two-year election cycle in 78 years, Van Hollen said.

Many of the retirement decisions were so abrupt that the lawmakers were still accepting campaign checks from corporations, colleagues and private citizens as late as the last week in December, according to Federal Election Commission data.

New York Rep. Jim Walsh took in money from political action committees for Boeing ($1,000), General Motors ($1,000) and the Air Traffic Controllers ($1,000) on the last day of the year. He accepted checks at the fourth quarter filing deadline from Republican Reps. Dave Camp of Michigan ($1,000), John Shimkus of Illinois ($1,000) and Hal Rogers of Kentucky ($4,000).

Similarly, Kentucky Rep. Ron Lewis, who reportedly lied to colleagues as late as last week about his intentions to run for reelection, took money from Federal Express ($1,000), Ford Motor Company ($1,000) and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association ($5,000) on the last day of 2007. Lewis abruptly withdrew his bid for reelection at the filing deadline earlier this week in an effort to clear the Republican field for his top aide.

And those are just the big corporate donors who will be looking for their campaign cash. Plenty of private citizens made donations, both large and small, during the last month of the year to help these guys stay in office - and many more might have given them money during the first few weeks of 2008.