Crumb-bum Bill Young has long been considered a potential retirement for the GOP this cycle--and Democrats are hungry for the shot at an open seat race in this tossup district (at D+1, it supported Gore in '00 and Bush in '04 by the slimmest of margins). Let's take a look at some of the press that Young has earned over the year and see what the story tells us:
February 16, 2007 (House Race Hotline):
Nat'l Dems "are aggressively working to recruit someone to run" for Rep. Bill Young's (R) seat, "pegging it as one of their top targets." A DCCC recruiter "recently met with prospective" Dem candidates including ex-state House Speaker Peter Wallace (D), ex-state Rep. Lars Hafner (D) and businessman/neighborhood activist Karl Nurse (D). [...] The challengers, though, have their doubts. Wallace on Young: "I'd be very surprised if a highly competitive campaign could be run against him."
February 20, 2007 (House Race Hotline):
Dems "sounded the opening bell last week," firing off an e-mail from FL party leaders suggesting that Young already "is seated squarely in Dems' sights." They attempted to link Young to the Walter Reed scandal in the e-mail. A DCCC operative suggested that Young's alleged proximity to the Walter Reed scandal likely could be a "rallying point" for an already packed field of "likely" candidates. Dems "are courting" state Sen. Charlie Justice (D), state Reps. Rick Kriseman (D) and Bill Heller (D), ex-FL House Speaker Peter Wallace (D) and hospital Admin. Sue Brody. Dems say GOP leaders are "petrified" Young will opt not to run in '08, which likely would set off a "primary scramble in both parties."
May 15, 2007 (House Race Hotline):
Rep. Bill Young (R) said even he doesn't know "how much longer he'll stay" in Congress. Young: "Nobody knows because I don't know." But will he retire in '08? Young: "Let's be honest: I'm thinking about it more than I did last year or the year before." [...]
But Young's uncertainty has left GOPers "worried that he may be serving his last term."
July 17, 2007 (House Race Hotline):
At 76, Rep. Bill Young (R) is unsure if he wants to retire, but just in case he decides to run, he's "amassing" a "truckload of money." He has nearly $600K CoH for an election that is "more than a year away." Asked if the money was a sign he was running again, Young said, "I think you should take that as a sign that we are prepared to back up whatever decision we make." Young has voted with the GOP 84% of the time so far this year, "the lowest level since 1992, according to an analysis by Congressional Quarterly" (Adair, St. Petersburg Times, 7/17).
August 9, 2007 (House Race Hotline):
State Sen. Charlie Justice (D) was in DC last week "talking" with the DCCC about running against Rep. Bill Young (R). Justice: "A lot of people have been asking me to aat least think about it, consider it." Justice, whose name "is also in the mix" of possible '09 St. Petersburg mayoral cands, so running against Young "might boost" his name ID if Young "waits awhile to retire." Justice: "I don't get into campaigns to raise my name ID for future races or to set myself up for a mayoral race." If I did it, I would run to win."
October 2, 2007: Bill Young votes to deny victims of terrorism financial compensation.
October 13, 2007: Young posts his third quarter fundraising tally:
Bill Young (R-inc): $29K raised; $579K CoH
Huge stunner here. [...] These numbers are positively John Warner-esque. Is Young looking for the exit?
