Dec 19, 2007 5:37 pm US/Central
Ramstad Says He Has No 'Plans' To Seek Re-Election
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Ramstad is a popular incumbent, but his retirement could give the Democrats an opening in the state's 3rd Congressional District -- and a headache that Republicans would want to avoid.
Courtesy Jim Ramstad
As rumors swirl that Rep. Jim Ramstad is reconsidering his decision to retire, the Minnesota Republican said Wednesday that he didn't have any plans to run again but declined an opportunity to close the door on it.
Asked in a brief interview outside his office whether he was reconsidering retiring, he replied, "I have no plans to run for re-election. Nothing's changed."
He gave the identical answer when asked whether he would definitively say he wouldn't run again.
Pressed further about whether he would rule out a run, he replied, "I have no plans to run for re-election. Check out my fundraising since September. It's nonexistent. I haven't raised a dime since September."
On Wednesday, Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, reported that Ramstad was seriously reconsidering retiring, citing people from both parties familiar with his thinking. That followed similar reports in Minnesota blogs.
When Ramstad announced his retirement back in September, he said one of his biggest accomplishment would be legislation that has yet to pass Congress -- a plan to require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses. The day after the announcement, the legislation, known as mental health parity, passed the Senate, and advocates were hopeful for quick passage in the House.
But the bill has stalled over differences between the two versions, and the House has yet to vote on the legislation. Ramstad's chief of staff, Dean Peterson, hinted that the bill's fate was a factor in the congressman's plans.
"Jim has no plans to run for re-election," Peterson said in a statement, "but he does want to see his mental health and addiction treatment legislation become law before he leaves Congress."
Ramstad is a recovering alcoholic and co-chairman of the Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus with Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.
In the interview, Ramstad also took an opportunity to shoot down a rumor that he was being considered for or had taken a top-level job at the University of Minnesota.
"And my response to that is, the only job I'd take at the university has already been taken by Tubby Smith," he quipped, referring to the new basketball coach.
Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the university's Humphrey Institute, said he had approached Ramstad about joining as a senior fellow when Ramstad announced his retirement -- but that the congressman said it wasn't the appropriate time to discuss it.
Ramstad is a popular incumbent, but his retirement could give the Democrats an opening in the state's 3rd Congressional District -- and a headache that Republicans would want to avoid.
Mark Drake, a spokesman for the Minnesota Republican Party, said, "Jim Ramstad has been an exemplary public servant and it's no surprise people want to see him continue his public service."
The Republican candidate for the seat, state Rep. Erik Paulsen, said Ramstad encouraged him to move ahead with his campaign in a conversation a couple weeks ago.
"I wouldn't even be running for Congress if it wasn't for the fact that my friend and mentor and former boss had announced his retirement," said Paulsen, who plans an official campaign kickoff in January.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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