Claim: Senator Mikulski of Maryland Will Retire Next>
Bayh-Bayh? Democrats Have Until Tomorrow to Get Someone on the Ballot

Whooooahhhhhh Nellie.

This blogger claims he has it on "impeccable" authority.

I've just heard from an impeccable source that Barbara Mikulski, the Democratic Senator who is up for reelection this November, will choose to retire. Mrs. Mikulski is expected to make her formal announcement in the next few days.

Mrs. Mikulski seriously fractured her right ankle last fall just prior to Edward M. Kennedy's death. Due to the severity of the fracture, she has had to open reduction surgery, that included the insertion of pins, as well as the use of special surgical boots, during recovery. She had tried to arrive in time for Mr. Kennedy's funeral but was turned away.

Her recovery has been exceptionally slow and she is evidently still in a great deal of pain. Reportedly, she has told her physician that she does not desire to seek reelection. Additionally, friends and family have been saying in the near future she will announce her retirement. Because of the very slow recovery, she has been forced to use a wheelchair, a walker or a cain in order to get around.

Thanks to enoxo.

Oh: In case you were wondering -- a Maryland pickup was on no one's radar. That seat was thought very safely, even unassailably Democratic.

Even with Mikulski retiring, the seat would probably stay Democratic. Maryland is as Democrat as f*ck.

But... there would be an outside chance, at least.

Over in Indiana... Hot Air has updated to say the filing deadline is tomorrow, not Friday. And further, the process is a little pain-in-the-assy (signatures needed from a bunch of county chairs or somethin') and the likely candidate, Ellsworth, might not be able to do it.

Which means he might have to do it through a caucus process, which will be difficult, and will give hard-core left-wingers a chance at the nomination-- and also to beat up on the eventual candidate, even if they lose.

More: A lot of speculation that he might have an idea to challenge Obama in the 2012 primaries. Not rumors, just speculation. Bayh called out his own party for overspending and asked rhetorically "Why should anyone trust the Democratic Party?" recently, for example.

posted by Ace at 02:44 PM

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