Posted July 30, 201212 yr Another moderate Republican gone. We need more of them, not less.... Rep. Steve LaTourette to retire from Congress, sources say Published: Monday, July 30, 2012, 6:59 PM Updated: Monday, July 30, 2012, 7:25 PM By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer Longtime Republican congressman Steve LaTourette of Bainbridge Township will announce his retirement from Congress tomorrow, according to GOP sources in Ohio and Washington, D.C. LaTourette has scheduled a "major announcement" at 10 A.M. press conference in Painesville on Tuesday morning. His office would not discuss its subject but said "you shouldn't miss it." LaTourette was unopposed in the March GOP primary, and was not deemed to have a strong strong opponent in November's election. The Democrat on the ballot against him is perennial candidate Dale Virgil Blanchard. READ MORE AT: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2012/07/rep_steve_latourette_to_retire.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 31, 201212 yr I always thought he was a major dick personality wise, and cheating on his wife didn't help either. He was my last go to "Hey I voted for a Republican" guy that actually runs for office anymore so that's kind of a bummer. ;) Hate to see him go especially over some BS about committee assignments, if that is indeed the real story. However, I'll probably be moving in the fall and wouldn't get to vote for him anyway.
July 31, 201212 yr hmph. He was one of the few Republicans that I didn't mind having as a representative of me. The sad part is that since the primaries are long over we won't get a real election to replace him. The Democratic candidate running for the seat has run the last few elections without any support from the party or real chance at winning and the Republicans are going to have to just pick some random person to run in his place.
August 1, 201212 yr Congressman LaTourette was obviously disgusted with the childish nihilism shown by his own party in Congress. Their teabagging ideology led them to politicize every issue they had to vote on, even banal topics like roads and bridges. This district, my district, is a swing seat and winnable by members of either party, but I am not sure about this Democrat. Dale Blanchard's website is way stale; he did not even update it after the Affordable Care Act was enacted and supported by the Supreme Court. The Republican appointee to run for the office will get plenty of money from oil companies and anonymous Super PAC donors to run commercials and establish that he is just the dandiest, sweetest, all-American man you could ever vote for. Democracy in action
January 7, 201312 yr Insightful interview with LaTourette on the Atlantic on blaming the GOP for the current gridlock/ineffectiveness/clusterf*** in Washington right now. He sound really disillusioned with congress and the various factions mucking up the legislative process right now. They quote below blew me away. Q: How about you? You recently resigned from Congress after nine terms. LaTourette: I'll go back and find something productive to do with my life. As opposed to the last 18 years. Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/are-people-being-unfair-to-the-house-republicans/266858/
