In a major blow to House Dems (and Speaker Pelosi in particular), House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey has reportedly told close associates that he will not be running for re-election this November. A press conference is expected some time this afternoon.
The Wisconsin Democrat was facing some pretty ugly poll numbers back home, but his staff had insisted he would be running for another term. Obey, a liberal powerhouse, was first elected in 1969 and has been in big anti-war figure since the 1970s. Obey was also a big ally of Nancy Pelosi's and, as Politico points out, following the death of Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., earlier this year, Obey will be Pelosi's second big loss on the powerful Appropriations Committee.
The Wisconsin Democrat was facing some pretty ugly poll numbers back home, but his staff had insisted he would be running for another term. Obey, a liberal powerhouse, was first elected in 1969 and has been in big anti-war figure since the 1970s. Obey was also a big ally of Nancy Pelosi's and, as Politico points out, following the death of Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., earlier this year, Obey will be Pelosi's second big loss on the powerful Appropriations Committee.