The Troll of the Senate is hobbitting down:
Senator Barbara Mikulski, the longest serving woman in the history of Congress, is announcing her retirement, Democrat officials say.
The 78-year-old Maryland Democrat, now in her fifth term, is set to make a statement at a news conference in Fells Point in Baltimore later Monday. Her retirement could set off a race among potential candidates to succeed her, including Representative Chris Van Hollen and former Governor Martin O'Malley, who is considering a bid for president.
Mikulski became the longest-serving woman in the history of Congress in 2012. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976 and has served in the Senate since 1987. Mikulski is up for re-election next year, but has declined in the past to say whether she would run for what would be a sixth term. The deadline for filing is in January 2016.
"Could" set off a race? Why be so coy, AP? As though no Democrat would want her seat, and any Republican would be in serious contention for it. Oh, yes, the Old Line State did elect GOPer Larry Hogan as its governor four months ago, but that was in the biggest "red tide" election in, alternatively, four or twenty years, and that tide is likely to go right back out again in 2016, at least down-ballot, and especially in as "blue" a State as Maryland.
Mikulski is actually doing O'Malley a favor, it seems to me, as running for her Senate seat will give him a race he's actually capable of winning, as opposed to tilting at presidential windmills at which he'll have no chance whatsoever, even if there is a 2016 election at all.
Still, I kind of hope she does seek a sixth term after all, if only to see how shriveled she would grow by 2022. That might be enough to make even Gollum....
....start blowing chunks.
No comments:
Post a Comment