Rep Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) Annouces Retirement.

[ronnykmarshall]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060306/pl_nm/congress_thomas_retirement_dc

>>>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas said on Monday he would retire from the House of Representatives at the end of his current term, leaving open to speculation the future for the veteran lawmaker.

The California Republican, who was instrumental in helping President George W. Bush win passage of his tax cut proposals, would have stepped down as chairman of the powerful tax writing committee after this year anyway because of term limits set by House Republicans.<<<

Don't count on picking this seat up. VERY red area of California.

[More Than A Feeling]

1. With the 433 seat strategy, we'll still find a challenger

to, at the very least, keep the Republican busy in the district. Barry Welsh has him currently unopposed, but hopefully this will spark some interest.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. better yet, with such short notice, the local GOP is surprised

That means people who wanted to run for years will now have a chance. A brutal ideological fight will start, with lots of money.

A decent dem could slip by.

[More Than A Feeling]

5. In a district like this, even if we win, the Dem probably won't

survive re-election, but I'll settle for even a single term. Heck, I'll settle for the Dem getting over 40%, which could indicate victory if the same one tries repeatedly.

[usregimechange]

15. CA-22, looks fairly solid GOP but we need challengers every where!

[Greeby]

2. Really? Damn

When I saw the headline, I thought that'd be good news :(

Edit - just checked http://www.barrywelsh.org/fiftystate/index.html

Thomas is unopposed with 4 days till the filing deadline

[movonne]

3. I guess Bakersfield is happy with the tax cuts for the wealthy..

[MADem]

6. Does anyone here know WHY this is happening???????

Is it this: He has been mentioned by some Republican sources as among those being considered by the White House to eventually replace Treasury Secretary John Snow. It is widely believed that Snow may not stay through the end of Bush's term.

Or is he a friend of Duke Cunningham???

[Virginia Dare]

7. My guess is...

the promise of a lucrative lobbying/consulting deal. We are likely to see many more of these "sudden" retirements. They may sense the revolving door and quid pro quo arrangements between Capitol Hill and K Street might have seen their heyday.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Try this:

Perhaps he has a sense of a looming electoral bloodbath in 2006 and wants out before he loses his chairmanship and people start to exact some revenge for his years of rampant and pernicious buttheadism?

Just a thought...

[Tempest]

12. Even if the Democrats took back the House

Thomas would be a major force to be reckoned with.

He would still be effective in the minority.

[ShockediSay]

22. Agreed: another lobbyMobster in the works

http://imageshack.us>

a la Billy Tauzin

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2005-04-25-drug-lobby-cover_x.htm

[jaysunb]

8. I'm betting it's, "FOD ". (friend of Duke)

whispers and murmurs all around....

[Tempest]

11. No whispers and murmurs around here

I'm very much in tune with Bakersfield politics, and a connection to Cunningham has never been mentioned.

[jaysunb]

16. I heard it at lunch last week @

the Sheep Growers( ? ) Association restaurant. Being the only Black or Liberal there, it's hard to say it was being said for my benefit. It was more like , they figured I didn't know what they were talking about.

[Tempest]

18. Let me float it around a bit and get back to you

It might be a new revelation.

[Tempest]

10. As a Bakersfield resident, here's why

Thomas is going to work for a lobbying firm.

His protegy, Kevin McCarthy is going to run for his seat.

Thomas will be able to pull McCarthy's strings and get McCarthy to do his bidding.

That's the scuttlebutt around the local political circles.

[MADem]

13. Well, there ya go--greedy bastard, he is, then!!

May he choose a tainted firm!!!

[jamesinca]

14. They have a 5 day extension to file for office

The deadline is March 10, but since he waited so long to announce, there is a 5 day extension to the process. At least that is how I understand it. I don't know as of yet if anybody has filed to run for that seat.

[ronnykmarshall]

17. McCarthy?

:puke:

My parents join you in your feelings about him.

[jamesinca]

19. So tempest, are you going to run

McCarthy needs to file still? He misses the deadline, you walk into a house seat for 2 years minimum. I have been lead to believe that the State party is willing to actually help with races in the Valley. Come on tempest, what is the worst that can happen?

[Tempest]

21. I'm too liberal

And Bakersfield is too conservative.

Besides, there's more than a few skeletons in my closet I'd just assume stay there. ;)

[WhiteTara]

20. I'm betting on FOD

no knowledge, that's just my intuiton :shrug: