Alabama Democratic Rep. Cramer announces retirement

This is bad news.

Rep. Bud Cramer, who represents North Alabama and Huntsville, is one of only two Democrats from Alabama in the House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nine-term Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer of Alabama said Thursday he will not run for re-election in November.
The surprise announcement leaves little time for campaigning before the state’s June 3 party primaries and opens up a competitive district that Republicans have long eyed as a pickup opportunity.

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Cramer’s office declined to take questions. The announcement stunned fellow lawmakers in Alabama and Washington.

Rep. Artur Davis, a Birmingham Democrat who heads the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s candidate recruitment, said he spoke with Cramer as recently as Wednesday and had no idea he was considering retiring.

The fact that Artur Davis knew nothing about this does not bode well.

This seat will be very difficult to retain without Cramer.

Cramer is a Blue Dog and has a conservative voting record but without him this is a likely Republican pickup.