Finally... Bill Young (R-FL) Is Retiring

When C.W. "Bill" Young was born, Herbert Hoover had just led the United States into the Great Depression. Young's entire childhood past the age of 2 was in the backdrop of FDR's presidency-- first in a poor coal-mining area of western Pennsylvania and then in the Tampa Bay area. When he finally retires next year he'll be 84. Even his family has been whispering about him retiring for nearly a decade now. Young never went to college or even finished high school and before getting on the political gravy train in 1960, was an insurance salesman. His early political life was devoted to leading a crusade against gay people. Once he got to Congress, in 1970, his political life was devoted to crass pork barrel politics. When he was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he was known as the King of Earmarks and his congressional district saw a tsunami of federal funds enrich already wealthy constituents. He was very much in cahoots with Duke Cunningham's criminal career on the Appropriation Committee's Subcommittee on Defense. He's the longest-serving Republican in Congress.

Last week a PPP survey of his Pinellas County district showed him losing his seat and that his approval rating, after he voted to close down the government on behalf of defunding the Affordable Care Act, had sunk to a dismal 33%. A generic Democrat was leading him by 5 points (and by 9 points once the voter was made aware that Young voted to shut down the government).

Young told the Tampa Bay Times that the current congressional gridlock influenced his decision to pack it in. "I'm a little disappointed. It seems there's too much politics. It's a different Congress." And although he told the Times he admires the Tea Party-- "I love every one of these guys"-- a week ago he was singing a different tune:

Young last week, however, broke with most Republicans and said he would vote for a budget resolution that did not attempt to dismantle the president's signature health care reform law. In candid comments about the control the tea party had over Boehner, Young said in an interview: "He withstood the pressure for a long time. He finally has agreed to the outspoken minority of his conference. And they're pretty much in charge right now."

Democrats have been winning FL-13 for two solid decades and Obama beat McCain 51-48% and beat Romney 50-49%. Last year a middle-of-the-road, garden variety Democrat, Jessica Ehrlich-- who had no support from the DCCC, of course, and was outspent two to one-- scored 42% against him, one of only two times a Democrat held him under 60% in his 22 House races. Ehrlich is running again, but because Young is retiring, she will probably face a difficult primary challenge, likely from County Commissioner Ken Welch, who is favored by the DCCC, although another County Commissioner, Charlie Justice, who took on Young several years ago, is thinking of running again as well. This morning, Peter Schorsch was reporting a flash poll that shows 54% of Democrats want Charlie Crist to run for the seat (although Crist isn't interested in a mere House seat) and the other contenders lining up like this-- Ehrlich- 10%, Justice and Welch at 8% each, Janet Long- 7% and Scott Wagman- 2%. With Crist out of the running, Justice leaps out into the lead with 20% to Ehrlich's 17%.

The Republican Establishment wanted to put up a hackish self-funder, Jeff Brandes, but he says he's not interested. The establishment Republicans will be just as happy with popular former St Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, and other possibilities include state Senator Jack Latvala and ex-Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard. It's likely the Tea Party will run at least one lunatic fringe candidate. Last year two ran against Young in the primary and one, Darren Ayres, got 19% and the other, Madeline Vance, got 9%. This kind of lunatic fringe: