David Obey, Top Pro-Abortion Lawmaker From Wisconsin, Won’t Run Again
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 5, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — One of the top pro-abortion members of Congress will retire. David Obey, who has represented a Wisconsin congressional district since the late 1960s, announced today he will step down from the seat — which could go to a strongly pro-life candidate.
Saying he was “bone tired” and had lost the will to keep up the Washington political battle, Obey announced his retirement.
“There is a time to stay and a time to go,” Obey said. “And this is my time to go.”
Obey where the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee where he consistently promoted abortion and earned low pro-life rankings from the National Right to Life Committee each year — including a 21 percent score this year.
Obey was also the third-longest-serving member of the House behind pro-abortion Democrats John Dingell and John Conyers of Michigan and will be the 19th-longest-serving Congressman in U.S. history.
He was facing very strong competition from Sean Duffy, the Ashland County District Attorney who is considered the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Duffy is pro-life and received prominent endorsements from pro-life former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and pro-life Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and has raised more than $500,000 for the race.
NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain said in a statement: "There is no question that David Obey was facing the race of his life and that is why it is understandable that the architect of President Obama’s failed stimulus plan has decided to call it quits."
Barb Lyons of Wisconsin Right to Life was happy to see Obey go.
"Obey is considered as one of Speaker Pelosi’s top lieutenants. His fingerprints are all over the major pieces of legislation enacted in the past year including Obamacare," she told LifeNews.com. "So long, Mr. Obey, to whom we wish a great retirement."
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