Yet another House Republican has come to the conclusion that being in the minority is a total bummer. From Roll Call:
Republican sources confirmed Thursday that Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) will announce his retirement imminently, perhaps as soon as Friday. A Regula spokesman would not confirm the retirement announcement, saying the 18-term Congressman has made no such public announcement.
Regula has long been a prime candidate for retirement: he's old, he doesn't like being in the minority anymore, and he's tired of the increasingly bitter atmosphere in DC.
Democrats feel good about making a hard run for Regula's open seat, and they've already lined up a top recruit for the job: state Sen. John Boccieri, an Air Force vet who has served in Iraq. This district has been trending Democratic since Bush carried it by a 53-42 margin in 2000. Against John Kerry, Bush's margin in the district narrowed to 54-46, and Democrats feel that Boccieri has the right profile to ride the Democratic trend and close the gap.
Longtime congressman Ralph Regula, whose years and power on the House Appropiations Committee made him a major player for northeast Ohio, confirmed to The Plain Dealer that he will not run for reelection next year.
"I will have been there for 36 years," said Regula, 82, the dean of Ohio's congressional delegation. "According to the Congressional Research Service, I am the longest continuously serving member ever in the history of Ohio."
