Sometimes, after a politician is defeated, they don’t come back — or at least not the next cycle:
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel said last month that he had contacted former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) about running for her old seat in 2012 . . .
Unfortunately for Israel, she may have other plans. After joining a Washington law firm earlier this month, Herseth Sandlin on Thursday dissolved her campaign committee — a move that generally means a candidate has no plans to make a quick return to politics.
In fact, Herseth Sandlin is just the latest 2010 loser to close down his or her committee; she joins a host of former Democratic members from conservative-leaning districts who have done the same.
Former Blue Dog Reps. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.), Baron Hill (D-Ind.), Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) and Travis Childers (D-Miss.) and another conservative Democrat, former Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), have also shuttered their campaign committees in the aftermath of the 2010 election. (Hill has said he will not run again.)
Throw one more onto the pile:
Add ex-Rep. Ron Klein (D-FL) to the probably-not-running-again list. He’s joining a FL lobbying firm.
Well, at least they’re finding jobs in this economy.
Klein lost to Allen West last cycle, 45 percent to 54 percent. Under the current district lines, Florida’s 22nd congressional district scores a D+1 on the Cook Partisan Voting Index, and Obama carried it, 52 percent to 48 percent, in 2008. Klein’s disinterest doesn’t end the Democrats’ chances of retaking the seat, but it is a bit surprising.