The Break For 5/5/10: David Obey To Retire, Big Blow For Dems
Photo from the AP Strong figure, and strong loss for the Democrats : In a major blow to Democrats, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey has told close associates that he will not seek reelection. An announcement of his plans is expected as early as Wednesday. The Wisconsin Democrat faces tough poll numbers at home, but until Tuesday night his staff had insisted he was running aggressively and had hired campaign staff. But a person close to him confirmed the decision to POLITICO Wednesday and said Obey was preparing to make a statement. A news conference has been called at 1 p.m., and Obey staff indicated he would announce his plans then. More analysis on this in a second.