In a press release, Rep. Bart Gordon (TN-06) has announced that he will retire at the end of 2010.
Along with fellow Tennessee congressman John Tanner, Gordon becomes the second Tennessee Blue Dog to retire in two weeks.
"When I was elected, I was the youngest member of the Tennessee congressional delegation; now, I’m one of the oldest. In fact, I have members of my staff who weren’t even born when I took office. That tells me it’s time for a new chapter."
Gordon, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, said he made his decision after consulting with his wife, Leslie.
"Turning 60 has led me to re-evaluate what’s next. I have an 8-year-old daughter and a wonderful wife who has a very demanding job. I am the only child of my 83-year-old mother, Margaret. They have made sacrifices to allow me to do what I love by serving in Congress, and now it’s my turn," said Gordon.
Fellow Blue Dog coalition member and Tennessee Congressman Lincoln Davis had the following to say in response to the announcement:
Bart Gordon, my friend and colleague, has been a trusted, humble, and astute public servant for his Middle Tennessee district for over two decades. A visionary, Bart’s desire and passion were to serve the greater good through the advancement of science, education, math, and technology and not through some rigid ideological belief. I value and respect leaders who put the people before party....
Tennessee will be losing his seniority that will be very hard to replace for years to come. Through his work in the fields of science, technology and math, our state and nation will be able to benefit and reap the rewards for generations to come.
Bart has been and even in retirement will be a champion for the people of the Sixth District. He will be greatly missed by many.
Gordon's announcement comes as a bit of a shock, as he won handily in 2008. He serves as the chair of the House Science Committee, and serves in the district that used to be represented by Al Gore. As the climate talks heat up in Copenhagen, Gordon is a strong supporter of green jobs initiatives, but has faced increasing pressure from teabaggers and talk show hosts in his district.
Reading the tea leaves here in Tennessee, I have a few observations:
- Gordon and Tanner are being hit very hard by the failure of the Blue Dog PAC to raise any money in the 2010 cycle. They support fiscal discipline during a season in which Keynesian macroeconomics have had a renaissance and where we understand that we need to make strategic investments to turn our national economy in the right direction. The Blue Dog/DLC ideology is really hurting in the Democratic Party.
- With redistricting in 2010, it appears likely that the Tennessee Republican Party will have the ability to draw the map and push Democrats out through gerrymandering. Tennessee's congressional delegation has been very concerned about their inability to fundraise and generate enough support to run a strong campaign, and much of the energy in the state has been dedicated to "Taking back the House" (i.e., the state House) in Tennessee. As a result, it seems that Tanner and Gordon have pulled out, in part to help with local races down ticket.
- Anti-incumbency sentiment is very strong in Tennessee. But as Republicans have shown time and again, they're great at running campaigns. They're just not very good at governing. As one local Democratic state representative memorably said, "Republicans run for office by complaining about corruption and incompetence, and then they get into office and prove it to everyone." By pulling out, Tanner and Gordon open the door for new leadership in the district and they also pull the plug on a key GOP talking point. Anti-incumbency doesn't work if there's no incumbent to attack! Now, the Republicans will have to present the case for why we should elect them.
- Governor Phil Bredesen has seriously harmed the Democratic Party brand in Tennessee over the past 3 years, since being elected by a resounding majority in 2006. The conservative Democrat has alienated his base and undermined the Democratic brand. This is having an impact on other Democrats. And while Bredesen is popular with independents, he has split the base between conservative Democrats and progressives who saw the election of Barack Obama as a clarion call for fundamental change in the way we do government.
Personally, I just want to add that I think Bart Gordon has been a tremendous representative for Tennesseans. The Republican attack machine doesn't know what they're doing - they will say and do anything to win an election, and that attitude is corrosive to the greatness of our nation.