New York’s Ed Towns stepping down

[alp227]

Source: Politico

New York Rep. Ed Towns will not seek reelection in 2012, several Democratic sources said on Sunday night.

Towns, 77, was first elected to the House in 1982 and eventually rose to become chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Towns had insisted in recent months that he would seek a 16th term, rebutting repeated suggestions that he was preparing to step aside. The Democrat had been facing a competitive June 26 primary, and his decision to bow out comes just a day before petitions for a spot on the ballot were due.

His exit leaves the race to the two men who’d been running against him, state Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and New York City Councilman Charles Barron, an outspoken former Black Panther who unsuccessfully challenged Towns in a bitter 2006 race.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/75169.html

[bluestateguy]

1. I heard he was starting to get a little weird in the last year or so

nt

[iandhr]

2. We got to hope Jeffries wins.

Because if Barron wins then the radical right will have "proof" for all the conspiracy theories about Dems and Black Panthers.

Also from what I herd of Mr. Jeffries he seems like great person to have in Congress.

[KamaAina]

3. They already have all the proof* they need.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL01), hoodie and all.