Election 2006

Minnesota 5th Congressional District Representative Martin Sabo (Democrat) announced his retirement Saturday March 18. He will have served 14 terms in the United States House of Representatives:

Today, I’m announcing that I will retire at the end of my 14th term in the U.S. House of Representatives. After 46 years in elective office – 28 in the U.S. House of Representatives and 18 in the Minnesota Legislature, I’ve decided that it is time to move on.
It has been a long and very rewarding career. I was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1960, when I was 22, and to Congress in 1978. I’ve been on the ballot every two years since 1960. That’s 23 campaigns.

Now, at age 68, it’s time to stop. In my gut, I know the time is right. It’s time to open the door for a new generation of leadership.

As I prepare to close my career in elective office, I want to first and foremost thank my wife Sylvia. She has been by my side for 42 years. Without her love, support, enthusiasm, and friendship, I could not have done it. To my daughters, Karin and Julie, thank you for your love and understanding. And thank you for the greatest gift – the grandchildren who brighten our lives every day.

I also want to thank the great people of Minnesota. It is hard to say enough good about Minnesota. It was 50 years ago that Minneapolis welcomed me – a farm boy from the far corner of North Dakota, the son of immigrant parents – as I arrived here to attend Augsburg College. Minneapolis has been my home ever since.

Being able to serve Minnesotans has been an unimaginable dream. I’ve been a “Man of the House” throughout my adult life, representing Minnesotans in the “People’s House” – the legislative body closest to the people – first in St. Paul and then in Washington. The good common sense, concern, and understanding of Minnesotans has made serving them an honor and privilege. I will always be grateful for the strong support I’ve received year after year.

California 24th District Representative Elton Gallegly (Republican) announced his retirement last week, creating a situation that will leave his name facing a lone opponent, an unknown 37-year old lawyer, in the GOP primary and an almost sure win for that opponent in the general election in November.

In a set of circumstances that has stunned local Republicans, Rep. Elton Gallegly’s name will remain on the ballot despite his surprise announcement Friday — the deadline to file for re-election — that unspecified health problems were forcing him to withdraw.

Gallegly, a 10-term Republican, apparently thought that his withdrawal meant the filing deadline would be extended and other candidates could get into the race in the strongly GOP district north of Los Angeles.

CA Congressman Retirement Brings GOP Turmoil

New York 24th District Representative Sherwood “Sherry” Boehlert [Republican] announced his retirement Friday. Democrats are hopeful that they will be able to pick up the seat in upstate New York, but Boehlert, a liberal Republican, had been labeled a “RINO” or “Republican in Name Only” by the free market oriented Club for Growth and often voted outside party lines on economic and environmental issues.

‘There are other things to challenge my free time,’ Boehlert said. ‘I`m not tired, but I would rather not work 25 hours a day, eight days a week.’

Congressman announces retirement

Congress,Sabo,Gallegly,Boehlert