Apparently my Congressman, Republican dipstick Geoff Davis, has resigned this week effective immediately here in KY-4.
Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) — who was already set to retire after this term — announced Tuesday that he will resign immediately due to a recent “family health issue.”
“Recently, a family health issue has developed that will demand significantly more of my time to assist,” Davis said in a statement. “As a result, I cannot continue to effectively fulfill my obligations to both my office and my family. Family must and will come first.”
He did not elaborate on the specifics of the health issue.
That means Gov. Dinosaur Steve Beshear can call a special election, and Democrat Bill Adkins is asking for help against Tea Party glibertarian Thomas Massie. Massie is expected to win (this being NOBAMA Country and all) although Bill Adkins would be a hell of addition to Congress from a progressive point of view, being that rarest of breeds, An Actual Democrat In Kentucky. Both of my useless Senate appendages will be at a fundraiser for Massie in three weeks or so over in the nicer suburbs northeast of Louisville.
Bill could certainly use some help from you as a result. I’ve long argued that we need both more and better Democrats in Congress to turn the tide of Tea Party stupid, and Bill Adkins is one of the good ones, folks.
KayK
He won’t really call a special election less than 100 days before the ‘real’ election, will he? I don’t even see how he could get it organized that quickly, and what would be the point? By the time someone was elected, all congressional activity would have stopped for the elections.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
His health reason was the threats he was getting to retire early. He probably found a horses head in his bed one morning.
Someguy
For Republicans, “family health reasons” should probably be interpreted as “caught schtupping a rent boy in the local airport bathroom.”
the Conster
Every day in every way I’m glad I live in Massachusetts, Senator Cosmo Trucknutz notwithstanding.
Joey Maloney
Yeah, I was wondering how many wetsuits might be involved in this “family health issue”.
General Stuck
I was sad when I left for good my home state of Kentucky, but even in the early 1990’s it was solidifying into a true wingnut place as the clear majority of things. They would elect some democrats, and still do, but they are dinosaurs as you say.
That the northern part of the state is so wingnutty was always a little surprising to me, but then just across the Ohio river is old German conservative Cincinnati, so it’s not really that far fetched.
Oddly enough, there were a cluster of counties in the east part of the state where I grew up, that went for Obama in 08.
I remember watching a debate with Davis though, when he first ran, and the dude is a total nutter. Good to see him go.
But that was twenty years ago, and now live in Massachusetts on the Rio Grande, deep blue, with a streak of western libertarian, and surrounded by right wing Sodom and Gomorrah. But they don’t bother us much cause we have the worlds only spaceport, and that blows their minds. There aren’t many flights yet, due to a lack of affordable space ships, but we’re working on that. But you can book your reservation now, for a small fee.
Punchy
I hear he’s sick of Washington’s partisan ways.
By the way, this kind of threat seems like shooting one’s self in the foot before a race. “Hate on more wymenz! Denounce evolution! Use the damn N-word!”
cathyx
Why would someone leave a job with excellent healthcare benefits for family health reasons? Isn’t that when you need that excellent healthcare benefit?
MBL
Aaugh. It’s “pack it up” not “get up.”
Patricia Kayden
I have to respect Zandar and John for living in red states. Must be hard to be progressive when your vote pretty much doesn’t count on a state level.
Zandar
Oh we elect “Democrats”.
Like Ben Chandler, who jumps ship over to the Orange Julius side regularly.
Dimmic Rat
@Patricia Kayden:
Try living in Mississippi. My county still doesn’t sell liquor 90 years after prohibition.
jwest
Should we send the campaign donation to Adkins directly or save the postage and simply burn the money on the front lawn?
liberal
As I said a couple weeks ago, I actually knew Massie when he was an undergrad (I was a grad student). He seemed to have some residual conservatism given where he was from, but nothing terrible. But alas, he grew up to become a monster. Oh well.
Kelly in Louisville
Ah, not everyone in Kentucky is crazy. Here in Louisville, we keep sending the very liberal John Yarmuth to Congress and last I checked, President Obama won big in Jefferson County and Rand Paul and Mitch both lost epically here in their last elections. Jefferson County is a deep blue island in a sea of red.
befuggled
@Dimmic Rat: Looks like Kentucky actually has more dry counties than Mississippi does.
trollhattan
Knowing nothing of Geoff Davis other than the (R) after his name, I’m betting here and now he’s never forgiven his parents for misspelling his first name. Nomsyn?
Horrendo Slapp (formerly Jimperson Zibb, Duncan Dönitz, Otto Graf von Pfmidtnöchtler-Pízsmőgy, Mumphrey, et al.)
So… Dead girl or live boy?
slippy
So, McConnell is going to actually visit his state, eh?
That will be novel. I don’t think he gets back around these parts very often.
PopeRatzo
If it’s a Republican resigning, it means the “family health issue” is that he’s grown a teenage boy on the end of his penis.
JustBeingPedantic
How quickly some people forget. Remember this: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Secrecy_and_propriety_in_Kentucky.html. To his credit, Rep. Davis hand delivered his apology to then-Senator Obama’s Capitol Hill office.
Kathleen
@Patricia Kayden: I don’t know how Zandar can stand living in No KY.
Redleg
Northern Kentucky is pretty damned Tea Party. Lot’s of concern about God, Guns, and Gays here. I have seen more Ron Paul bumper stickers than Romney bumper stickers. The only place in N. KY that I have actually seen Obama stickers is at the university.
For all that I don’t mind living here. I have gotten used to living in conservative places. I grew up in Utah, lived in Nebraska, and now I’m here. At least we’re only 30 minutes from Great American Ballpark and the awesome Cincinnati Reds!
Adkins is a good Democratic candidate for the House. He seems like a solid guy who isn’t going to go soft on us if he gets elected.
Redleg
Yes, I know “lots” doesn’t have an apostrophe. Sue me.