News (1/5/07)

Here's some new news for y'all:

• Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), new chairman of the Highways, Transit, and Pipelines subcommitee, pulled his name from consideration for the 2008 senate race: http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/010407.html
• Due to the bleeding in his brain, Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) is currently incapacitated and will likely be forced to not seek reelection in 2008. This will, in all likelihood, allow Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth (D-SD) to run for the open seat against the eventual GOP candidate (who might be very popular governor Mike Rounds): http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
  20070104/NEWS/701040352/1001
• And, finally, Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO), who might retire in 2008, has been fueling that speculation lately. Yesterday he proposed a bill that would commemorate President Ronald Reagan's speech at the Brandenburg Gate in the form of an art piece, a bill that sounds more like a last-ditch effort at something he wants rather than a move that will win him support for a third term: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/
  0,2808,DRMN_24736_5256854,00.html