Martin Sabo retiring from Congress

Big news which should lead to a free for all with many candidates. This has been Sabo's seat for 28 years.

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/314672.html

WASHINGTON - Rep. Martin Sabo, a lion of Minneapolis DFL politics for the past four decades, is expected to announce his retirement Saturday after 28 years in Congress, sources told the Star Tribune this afternoon.

Sabo, who turned 68 last month, has scheduled a news conference for Saturday at noon in his Minneapolis office.

His departure is expected to set off a scramble for a replacement. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a professor at the University of St. Thomas, has already opened a campaign office and challenged Sabo at last week's DFL precinct caucuses. And Michael Erlandson, Sabo's chief of staff and the former chair of the state DFL party, has long been rumored to be interested in replacing his boss whenever he stepped down.

...

Other possible candidates include Hennepin County Commissioners Peter McLaughlin and Gail Dorfman, State Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, State Sen. Satveer Chaudhury, DFL-Fridley, State Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Mpls., and Minneapolis City Council Members Lisa Goodman and Gary Schiff.

Sabo is my rep, a pretty good guy in a somewhat bland way. I'm sure some good candidates will appear. It's really important to keep this district (Minneapolis) Democratic.

I bet this gets to be a very interesting race at this point.

after the precinct caucuses and not before

presumably to benefit Sabo chief of staff Mike Erlandson, who wants the seat

if this turns out to be the case with Erlanson I will be disappointed in Sabo. The explanation of this as the reason for the timing of the announcement makes sense.

- if state reps or senators decide to go for his seat, that leaves their districts looking for candidates to replace them - and distict endorsing conventions are starting. It also leaves potential candidates with very little time to get organized and start raising funds for a Congressional run. I can't help but wonder if it were timed this way to make it easier for Erlandson.

I'm not really surprised, though.

I met Sabo at a DFL event a year or two ago, and he seemed kind of tired.