From Charlie Cook. This one is a likely goner.
Gordon Retirement Moves TN-06 to Likely Republican Column
Democratic Rep. Bart Gordon’s decision to retire from a district that is 13 points more Republican than the national average presents House Democrats with their most problematic open seat yet. It is the fourth troublesome retirement for Democrats in as many weeks, bringing the total number of open seats in marginal or GOP-leaning districts to seven.
More from Gordon’s own website:
http://gordon.house.gov/apps/l…
December 14, 2009, MURFREESBORO – After more than a quarter-century of public service to his home state of Tennessee, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced his plans to retire from Congress when his current term ends in 2010.
“I feel honored that the people of Middle Tennessee have allowed me to serve them for the past 25 years,” said Gordon. “Every decision I have made in Congress has been with their best interests in mind. I hope the people here at home feel that I have served them as well as their good advice and views have served me.
“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.
Probably not people who voted against the regulation bill the other day. So Skelton, Boucher and Lincoln Davis are probably in. I’m looking most now at Spratt.
Here’s a guy, who for the most part has had a party-line record in the House. His personal instincts are not conservative but progressive.
Yet he is now left with two options, basically vote like a anti-Obama wingnut, or leave Congress. He probably didn’t like the option of the former, so he ended up choosing the latter.
I think Boucher is in the same boat. I predict that he will not be around in 2011, and if he is, the GOP should be sued for malpractice.