Sen. Barbara Boxer announces 2016 retirement: 'I want to come home'
Source: The Week
California Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) revealed Thursday that she will not seek re-election in 2016.
The 74-year-old Boxer, who has served for two decades in Congress' upper chamber, said she was not retiring because of her age or because of the new GOP majority, but rather because "I want to come home." And she said that while she would leave the Senate, she would not retire entirely from public life.
"I'm going to continue working on the issues that I love," she said in a video statement announcing the decision. "I'll have more time to help other people." --Jon Terbush
Read more: http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/274686/speedreads-sen-barbara-boxer-announces-retirement-i-want-to-come-home
Botany
(70,508 posts)She is one of the good ones. I hope she gets the time and space
to enjoy herself.
B Box Rocks
avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)Unbelievable.
I managed a county for Senator Boxer's first senatorial race. At this moment I am shocked and very disappointed.
Atman
(31,464 posts)Pantagruelsmember
(106 posts)It's time for the next gen libs...
Mr.Bill
(24,296 posts)But I would prefer him to be the next Governor.
avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)We don't need so much a new gen of libs, as we do capable and proven leaders to be elected to these seats.
avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)to work with her PAC.
She has incredible power and a voice now that she will never be able to duplicate with her PAC.
As far as coming home to California, from what I understand most of our Senators and reps spend half their
year in their home state anyways.
...Just now buying it, but good luck to Sen Boxer in any case.
blackcrow
(156 posts)you get tired after awhile.
LiberalFighter
(50,939 posts)She doesn't live on the east coast. And age would play a factor on that. As well as being less productive during travel time.
RobietheCat
(11 posts)What voice? The only time we hear from her is when she is running for re-election. Otherwise she's MIA. Like now re: the Paris terrorist problems.
Besides, California is not her home, she's from New York. Hope she goes back there.
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)I like Boxer. Wish Feinstein would retire though.
LiberalFighter
(50,939 posts)abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)Hope we elect two more democratic senators
LiberalFighter
(50,939 posts)With your jungle primary it could be a dicey outcome.
Pantagruelsmember
(106 posts)With CA overwhelmingly blue right now, good time to install TWO young libs.
Newsom and K. Harris will do nicely for me.
Hawaii Hiker
(3,166 posts)Perhaps Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsome will run?...Should be able to get a GOOD progressive in her seat...
http://politicalwire.com/2015/01/08/boxer-will-not-run-again/
TDale313
(7,820 posts)The other will likely run for Governer. I like Boxer, but I think we'll end up with a fine Senator.
SwankyXomb
(2,030 posts)outgoing Secretary of State Debra Bowen available.
TDale313
(7,820 posts)I'd love to see her run for another office
mimi85
(1,805 posts)I think she'd be great. I got the feeling in an LA times article this morning that Gavin Newsom would like to be governor next time around.
question everything
(47,483 posts)or perhaps there were speculations..
herding cats
(19,564 posts)It's not a surprise, she'd stopped fundraising for her reelection quite some time back.
Brother Buzz
(36,439 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Mike Nelson
(9,956 posts)...enjoy your retirement!
herding cats
(19,564 posts)She's been an excellent Democrat.
RobietheCat
(11 posts)Xithras
(16,191 posts)Dianne Feinstein has been hinting for a while that her 2012 election may have been her last, and that she may not run in 2018. She'd be running at 85 years old, and that term wouldn't end until she was 91. She's commented a few times that she does want to retire at some point, and doesn't want to stay in office until she dies. It became a bigger issue last fall, when several different sources close to her suggested that she would retire if the Republicans took the Senate, because she would wield a lot less influence. She has stayed in Congress this long only because her seniority put her in charge of some very powerful committees, and she didn't want them to pass into the hands of less able people. Now that the Republicans control the Senate, she's lost much of that power anyway.
The complication, of course, is that Gavin Newsom was named long ago as her heir apparent. If Boxer retires and Newsom runs for her seat, that makes Feinstein's seat a LOT more competitive in 2018. Kamala Harris is being groomed to run for the Governors seat after Browns term is up, and there is no way that the state party is going to send her off to Congress and risk the best shot they have at holding the governorship in 2018. People in California LIKE Harris, so shipping her across the country seems counter intuitive. Besides, I want Harris to run for President someday, and the Senate has historically been a lousy way to get there.
That really just leaves Alex Padilla (longtime state senator and current Secretary of State) and Antonio Villaraigosa as names that are well known enough statewide to really have a solid shot at the seat. Both would be popular with a broad swath of the electorate, but I don't think I've seen any indications that either of them are interested in Washington. Both seem more interested in state races.
valerief
(53,235 posts)Kingofalldems
(38,458 posts)beaglelover
(3,486 posts)Time for a new Democrat to take that Senate seat. Although I do like Boxer more than Feinstine. Hopefully she won't run again either when her term is up.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Voted for her every time.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)very near and dear to my heart.
Sen. Barbara Boxer your bills, your sponsorships your willingness to give time to meet over the issues is much appreciated! A lifetime of public service, public trust- with a heart of gold!