COMMENTS:
Perspectives on House Retirements
Even with a couple more possible House Democratic retirements, the party is still running below the historical average.
"I’m not sure exactly what the pattern’s going to be, but what I do know is we’re not going to see a wave of Democratic retirements like we saw in 1994," Van Hollen, D-Md., told us.
"Let’s put this in perspective: As of right now this year we’re below the average number of retirements in the House on a two-year cycle. If you go back to 1994, you saw a high number -- 28; we’re talking about 16, 17 retirements [on average in an election cycle]. We’re right now at 12 -- maybe there’ll be a couple more."
More perspective? More Republicans -- 14 of them -- have quit the House than Democrats.
Van Hollen also promises no more party switches. Anyone even considering going the Parker Griffith route probably saw the inevitable tea bagging that would follow their switches.
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