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Surprise Announcement: Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin Won’t Seek Re-Election

Jan. 26, 2013 11:15am Madeleine Morgenstern

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CUMMING, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin will not seek re-election in 2014, the Iowa Democrat said Saturday.

The 73-year-old Harkin told The Associated Press in an interview, “It’s just time to step aside,” noting that by the time he would finish a sixth term, he would be 81.

Harkin said the move also would allow a new generation of Democrats to seek higher office.

The announcement comes as a surprise, considering he had $2.7 million in his campaign war chest and was planning a gala fundraiser in Washington, D.C., next month.

Harkin is a leading liberal in the Senate, chairing the health, education, labor and pensions committee and having served as a key salesman of President Barack Obama’s 2010 health care bill to the wary left.

No Iowa Republicans have taken formal steps toward seeking the seat.

Harkin’s decision eases the burden on the GOP, who have to gain six seats to win the majority in the Senate. The president’s party historically loses seats in the midterm elections after his re-election. Obama, a Democrat, was re-elected last year.

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Comments (98)

Red Ruffansore
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:52pm
Farkin Barkin Tom Harkin is done snarkin. Jest remarkin.

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Daddy Hawg
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 4:47pm
Everyone rejoicing need to follow how this guy votes for the next year. If he is retiring e will not have any reason to vote whatever he feels on certain legislation. Really bothers me with the gun control legislation being proposed.

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merton42
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 3:01pm
Now watch the Republicans screw this opportunity up!

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icarenough
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 1:58pm
Watch Hannity tonight on Fox News….has a special on the “wealth” and “corruption” in DC. Will make your head explode.

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icarenough
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 1:56pm
it’s about time Tommy. Take the lead and encourage the rest of the idiots to follow along with you. We need some new blood in DC., …Wow, wrong thing to say, not politically correct…blood!!

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LukeAppling
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 11:24am
Tom Harkin is everything wrong with Congress! He is a left-wing Marxist who has lived off the government most of his corrupt life. I can’t stomach this man’s ideas and his contempt for the country he has ripped of under the guise of being “fair”. Get rid of him and everyone who has been there for more than 6 years and let’s try to do better with new and better people not the old fogies and their corruption.

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hempstead1944
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 10:23am
Finally did Iowa and America a favor……don’t let the door hit you in the arse on the way out Harkin !

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lnbcoff
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 7:24am
I heard he was thinking of retiring if he thought he was going to loose…Thank Goodness, he has
been nothing but bad news for Iowa for decades! He is as bad as they come when it comes
to wanting control of the people. Thank goodness he spends his time ( LIves )in Alexandria, VA and not Iowa. He only went to Ia and purchased his family farm for tax purposes and to pretend he was a resident when the law required so he could run for the Senate as an Ia. Senator.
So happy he is leaving but, who is going to replace him…I shudder to think!

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1FreeVoice
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 5:59am
Question, is his lordship hoping to pass on his seat to his heir (one of his children)?

Our political leaders sometimes do keep it a family business after all.
The” ruling class” is like that in many countries, not just here.

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The_Pointy_End
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 2:27am
As an Iowan all I have to say is YEA! However, the dumb voters in this state will just elect someone equally as bad or worse. Come on the people in Iowa voted this looser in for 5 terms. The best indicator of future behavior (voting) is past behavior.

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Daddymac10
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:55am
I think it’s about time Reince Priebus start looking for a credible conservative candidate. I think that would be a good idea if winning the senate is an option. Hello Republicans!!!! Are you alive??

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ScottG-CO
Posted on January 27, 2013 at 12:46am
Tom, it was time for this after your first term, you career rat- I hope they pass a budget that misplaces your pension and all those stocks you bought with inside info crash.

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FloraBelleza
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 10:54pm
Add your comments

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Kathleen3
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 8:50pm
There IS a God. Keep the good news coming by reporting more and more retirements until such time as we purge 99% of these special interest owned career politicians out of Congress and replace them with patriotic public servants.

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mash4077
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 8:25pm
this commie POS is a glaring example of corruption and why we need term limits at all levels of gov’t. he will still be collecting retirement that we will be paying for. how does that make you feel?

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P4cooler
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 6:35pm
Always great news when a Democrat retires. Democrats passed the Federal Reserve Act while most politicians were on Christmas vacation WITHOUT the required Constitutional amendment. Democrats illegally passed the 16th amendment. Our taxes on earned income is ILLEGAL. Secretary of State Philander Knox flat out lied and said the states had ratified the 16th amendment. There are probably 1000s of nation destroying Democrat outrages but look at Obama. He took our country’s 236 year history and nearly doubled our debt! Democrats have no respect for our Constitution! Haven’t you Democrats done enough? Get out of our White House. If Americans wake up and stop drinking liberal media Kool-Aid….we’ll throw all these turkeys out! Hallelujah!

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barber2
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 5:39pm
Have you noticed how many Democrats are wearing green lately ?!

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Jake Dog2
Posted on January 26, 2013 at 4:49pm
40 years in the Senate what a bunch of crap. The founders never intended for the Senate and Congress to be a full time job. We need term limits now but it will never happen with these ass in Congress.

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