Weldon (R-Fla.) will not seek reelection

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: The Hill

Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) announced Friday that he will retire from Congress at the end of this session, citing a desire to return to his medical practice.

“I want to thank my wife Nancy and my kids for all the support over these many years, as well as my staff and the people who supported my re-election efforts. It is a very big undertaking to run and successfully serve, and I would never have been able to do it were it not for the generous help of so many fine people,” Weldon said in a statement.

Weldon, 54, is a seven-term lawmaker who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.

Weldon is the 22nd GOP incumbent to announce that they will not seek reelection in 2008.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/weldon-expected-not-to-seek-reelection-2008-01-25.html

[tanyev]

1. And another one's gone, and another one's gone....

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. Another one bites the dust

Now I'll have that earworm all day. :D

[JohnLocke]

3. Bush - 57% of the vote in his district in '04. Possibly a Dem pickup if Clinton isn't on the ticket.

[Winterblues]

9. You just can't help yourself can you

:shrug: take it to the other forums...Please...

[gratuitous]

4. 22 GOP incumbents getting out

Forget the polls and their miniscule variations from day to day. The real proof is the professional politicians looking 10 months down the road, and deciding that it's just not worth it anymore. 22 incumbents for the GOP leaving. That's 22 seats going open, 22 seats that the RNC has to finance with new people who have never run a campaign before. And for once, the Republicans don't have a 3-1 advantage in money on hand for campaigns.

Can the Republicans run a campaign on the cheap? Are they able to economize and practice people-powered politics? We look at the prospect of a very interesting campaign season as Republican candidates try to make do with what they've got.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Jumping ship like rats

[Ian David]

6. He wants to practice his love on women? n/t

[Ian David]

7. Weldon linked to lobbyist by grant. Former DeLay aide benefited from deal.

Weldon linked to lobbyist by grant
Former DeLay aide benefited from deal

BY JOHN McCARTHY
FLORIDA TODAY
April 14, 2006

Rep. Dave Weldon helped land $1.5 million for a Florida Tech project in 2004, which in turn benefited a former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay who is being investigated as part of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Weldon, R-Indialantic, said he had no idea that Edwin Buckham, the DeLay aide turned lobbyist, had any stake in Map ROI, the company that partnered with Florida Tech in the university's National Center for Small Business Information.

In 2004, Weldon helped land a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to set up the program, which helps Florida small businesses bid on federal government contracts. The program called for a partnership of Florida Tech and Map ROI, a Virginia firm that produced software that small businesses could use to help navigate the complex process of bidding on government businesses.

Of the $1.5 million, about $500,000 went to Map ROI. Soon after news of the deal, the company landed nearly $3 million in new investments from venture capital firms.

More:
http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t53880.html

[Ian David]

8. Rep Dave Weldon (R-FL) is retiring to spend more time getting in drunken bar fights with his family.

UPDATE: “The surprise announcement comes within hours of the congressman’s daughter, Katie Weldon, being arrested and jailed, accused of attacking an employee at a Brevard County bar.” 11:19 am |
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/25/rep-dave-weldon-r-fl-retiring

Congressman's Daughter Arrested For Simple Battery, Father Retires
POSTED: 10:18 am EST January 25, 2008
UPDATED: 3:41 pm EST January 25, 2008

<snip>

The oldest child of republican Congressman Dave Weldon is accused of taking off a high heel shoe and hitting a security guard at the County Line Saloon across the face with it.

<snip>

Investigators said security was called in to the dance floor around 1:30 Friday morning because it appeared a fight was about to break out. Authorities said Solis was part of the security team, asking people to step back when an intoxicated Weldon struck him with the heel.

<snip>

Investigators said depending on what doctors say about how bad the cut is on Solis' face, authorities could ask the state attorney's office to upgrade the charges from misdemeanor battery to felony battery.



More:
http://www.wftv.com/news/15136367/detail.html