They're dropping like flies

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With the announcement of his retirement Wednesday, liberal Wisconsin Democrat David Obey became the 18th Congressional Democrat to hang 'em up this year and avoid the possibility of a humiliating defeat in the midterm elections. LA Times senior political blogger Andrew Malcolm made some observations on Obey's Ordeal at Top of the Ticket:

Walking away from what would have been the campaign fight of his long career, Obey said he had never walked away from a campaign fight in his long career.

But as Andrew Taylor of the Associated Press points out, Obey's repeated election successes, including three state Assembly terms, have also made him "a symbol of entrenched incumbency that's falling out of favor with discontented voters" this year.

Obey, who was once expelled from Catholic school for punching a nun, would have had to defend his liberal spending record and his vote for President Obama's controversial, expensive healthcare bill in a time of stubbornly high unemployment, exploding deficits and likely tax hikes. He was once quoted as referring to the new president as the "crown prince."

The most likely opponent for the powerful Appropriations Committee chairman -- but now someone else -- is a 38-year-old, aggressive Republican county prosecutor named Sean Duffy. He's already received the backing of numerous Washington party activists, Tea Party supporters and Sarah Palin in the state's Sept. 14 primary.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Obey's retirement next January "a big loss for us." For her too; Obey and the late John Murtha were two of her most powerful lieutenants.

Obey's departure prompted political forecasters to move Wisconsin's Seventh District into the toss-up category from the Democratic gimme it's been for two generations. And it also raised spirits among Republicans as a signal that such a powerful Democratic chairman might be detecting some November political handwriting that he was about to lose his chair. And, thus, opt to go out on top.

Obey has stood for reelection more than 20 times over the years, and he's only had to break a sweat a couple of those times. But recent polling indicated his vulnerability in an election year when the voters appear to be more disgusted than ever with the arrogant D.C. Democrats in control of the nation who refuse to bend to the will of the people.

- JP