GOP sources: Ohio Rep. LaTourette to retire
(CNN) – U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette has decided not to run for re-election, GOP sources told CNN on Monday.
The Ohio Republican is in his ninth term and is among a dwindling group of GOP moderates on Capitol Hill.
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He has a close relationship with House Speaker John Boehner, who is also an Ohio Republican.
LaTourette was the key Republican advocate for the so-called Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction and budget plan, which ultimately failed in the House. He had predicted the plan would get more than 100 votes, but the measure fell short by a wider margin.
Ohio Reps. Steve Austria, a Republican, and Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat, will also not be returning to the House for another term. Kucinich lost a March primary to fellow Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, then in May announced he would not seek other avenues to return to the House.
LaTourette won re-election in 2010 with 65% of the vote, and since his first election, has consistently won more than 50% of the votes cast.
- CNN Senior Congressional Producer Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report
He's clearly not radical and bigoted enough to serve as a Republican in today's Congress.
that means the repos will try and replace him with another far right wacko. No moderates left in the republican party. Forward. 2011
So, he can't stand them either. He knows hateful when he sees it. Can't say I blame him. West, Gomert, Cantor, Daniels, Clarence Thomas (threw him in for good measure). Just a few examples of the "great ones", yep.
mabe the dems can pick up a few seats now.Mabe we can pass the jobs act and go to work !
Moderate Republican? There are no moderate Republicans in the House. The Republicans almost always vote as a block and Rep. LaTourette is amongst them. The House Republicans can be classified as,cowards, crazies and extreme crazies. Tourette's moderation gets him placed as a coward and not one of the crazies – a classification he can be proud of at the end of his career as a politician.
Another sane man driven from congress by the right wing crazies.
Moderate Republican is an oxymoron, like the living dead.
The Congressman visited our manufacturing facility two years ago and I was very impressed by his very real effort to connect with folks from the shop floor to the front office. As a "GreenTech" company we had our share of dignitaries dropping in when the concept was cool but he impressed us all with his willingness to explain his views and seek ours. He'll be missed as congress continues to polarize itself to a grinding halt.
Kind of sucks when your party becomes so extreme that you have to quit to avoid the lunatics. Unfottunately, when it gets to that point, it's the american public that loses.
Bill is a used car salesman
Thanks for not posting my defamatory comments about this pultroon
Another one bites the dust.
Now if all of them would retire, we might get someplace
Don't let the door hit you in the behind.
replace him with a Brown Shirt
I suspect in Ohio that puts this seat in range of a democratic candidate to take from Republicans, or at least close the gap substantially, which in swing staTe could be very important. even Steve Austria's seat may not be safe.
Regards,
Hodgson.
That's a damn shame.................. 🙁
If both parties had dull, boring, yet practical and pragmatic Moderates as their Majorities instead of all the Tea Baggers or Occupy Wall Streeeters, America would be a much different, better place.
What is a GOP moderate? Someone who draws the line at public crucifiction?
If he signed that pledge to Norquist before country, then good riddance.