Greg Walden (R-OR) Bye-Bye

Barton left because of sex molestation charges, Walden just wants to get away from Trump

Greg Walden isn't really a nut; he's a mainstream conservative who has risen high in the ranks of the House GOP. And he announced yesterday that he's retiring from Congress next year.-- the 19th House Republican who is looking forward to not having Trump in their lives. He's Oregon's only Republican federal official. It's almost as though when they drew the Oregon districts, they shoveled all the Republicans into his. Oregon is a very blue state. Obama won it both times and even as weak a candidate as Hillary won the state 1,002,106 (50.07%0 to 782,403 (39.9%). The last time a Republican won the state was when Reagan beat Mondale in 1984. But OR-02, Walden's district, is very different. the state PVI is D+5 but the district PVI is R+11. It's primarily rural and the only cities, Medford and Bend, are both Democratic towns. There are 20 counties. Republicans are vulnerable in the biggest and second biggest, Jackson and Deschutes counties and in a few smaller blue counties like Hood River and maybe Wasco in a good year. Bernie won every single one of the 20 counties-- from most populated to least populated:

• Jackson- Bernie- 56.3%, Hillary- 43.7%
• Deschutes- Bernie- 53.3%, Hillary- 46.7%
• Klamath- Bernie- 55.4%, Hillary- 44.6%
• Josephine- Bernie- 56.7%, Hillary- 43.3%
• Umatilla- Bernie- 53.3%, Hillary- 46.7%
• Union- Bernie- 59.1%, Hillary 40.9%
• Crook- Bernie- 54.8%, Hillary- 45.2%
• Wasco- Bernie- 58.8%, Hillary- 41.2%
• Hood River- Bernie- 60.7%, Hillary- 39.3%
• Malheur- Bernie- 52.0%, Hillary- 48.0%
• Jefferson- Bernie- 52.0%, Hillary- 48.0%
• Baker- Benrie -60.1%, Hillary- 39.9%
• Wallowa- Bernie- 59.9%, 40.1%
• Grant- Bernie- 64.1%, Hillary- 35.9%
• Morrow- Bernie- 53.2%, Hillary 46.8%
• Lake- Bernie- 59.6%, Hillary- 40.4%
• Harney- Benrie- 59.9%, Hillary- 40.1%

But watch Blue Dog imbecile Cheri Bustos try to recruit some conservative like herself and saddle the Democrats with a worthless Blue Dog, which, of course, will dampen the enthusiasm of base voters. Just watch; it's the only game the DCCC knows how to play... which is why they lose so much.

Walden is 62, not exactly retirement age in Congress. He was first elected in 1998. He was chair of the NRCC for the 2012 and 2014 cycles and then rewarded with the ranking slot at the Energy and Commerce Committee, a cash cow for unethical members. All of his reelection battles were won with between 74 and 69% until last year when he had a slight scare, winning with just 56.3%, a startling 14 point drop, that can be attributed to Trump. Jamie McLeod-Skinner took 145,298 votes (39.4%) to his 207,597 (56.3%). It was the best any Democrat had done in OR-02 in contemporary history. She was outspent $1,309,788 to $4,876,725, the DCCC ignoring the race. She's running again this cycle, as are two other (unknown) Democrats, John Holm and Raj Mason, neither of whom has raised any money.

Walden told Politico that he's closing the public service chapter of his life and won't run for any other offices. "Based on recent polling, strong fundraising, and the backing of my wife and family, I am confident I could earn the support of 2nd District voters for another term. I’m also optimistic that a path exists for Republicans to recapture a majority in the House, and that I could return for two more years as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. But I also know that for me, the time has come to pursue new challenges and opportunities."

Walden, a former chief of the House GOP’s campaign arm who earned a reputation for party loyalty over his past two decades in Congress, has been quietly picking and choosing his battles with Trump this year, fueling speculation he might be eyeing the exits.

The Oregon Republican rebuked the president over the hugely controversial border wall project, backed Russia sanctions over Trump's objection, voted with Democrats to end the historic 35-day government shutdown and has been vocal about addressing climate change. But Walden also has stood by Trump throughout the Ukraine scandal and fallen in line on other key issues.

Walden is the fourth House GOP committee leader to call it quits this cycle. That list includes Reps. Mike Conaway (Texas), ranking member on the Agriculture Committee; Rob Bishop (Utah), ranking member on the Natural Resources Committee; and Mac Thornberry (Texas), ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee.

...Before wielding the Energy and Commerce gavel, Walden spent years chairing the panel’s telecommunications subcommittee that oversees the Federal Communications Commission. He helped advance major legislation in that position, including a 2012 law that created the public safety communications network known as FirstNet and other measures aimed at fighting illegal robocalls, expanding broadband and freeing up airwaves to be used in 5G wireless networks.

Ted Lieu (D-CA) has nothing against Walden, bears him no ill-will and wishes him well in the next chapter of his life. But he did mention to me today that "Rep Walden would become Chair of the immensely powerful Energy and Commerce Committee if Republicans flip the House next term. Instead, he chose to retire. We can all draw the inference that Rep Walden understands the GOP House Caucus is on the wrong side of history."