2008.01.24: January 24, 2008: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: The Post-Standard: Rep. Jim Walsh announces retirement
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2008.01.24: January 24, 2008: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: The Post-Standard: Rep. Jim Walsh announces retirement
Rep. Jim Walsh announces retirement
"It's time to go," Walsh said in an interview with The Post-Standard. "I never thought I would stay in Washington this long. Ever." He added, "For the last four or five years I've wrestled with the idea of retirement." Walsh, 60, said no single factor convinced him to make the decision now; rather it was a gradual conclusion finally reached after a Sunday family dinner Jan. 13 and a trip last weekend to Washington with his wife. The 10-term congressman waited until Wednesday night to inform Republican leaders in Congress, and started calling county party leaders and elected officials today. "A lot of people are disappointed and a lot of them are shocked," Walsh said. "For me, they're happy." Walsh said he has not decided what he will do after leaving office, but he has ruled out the idea of running for mayor of Syracuse or any other elected position. Walsh said a variety of factors contributed to his decision, but the final factor was that he felt he had no more big challenges on his agenda for Central New York. As one of the leading Republican appropriators in Congress, he has brought back more than $1 billion to New York state during his career. Congressman James Walsh of New York served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal in the 1960's.
Rep. Jim Walsh announces retirement
Rep. Jim Walsh announces retirement
Posted by Mark Weiner January 24, 2008 6:25PM
Caption: Spetember 2003 - Congressman James Walsh and his father William F. Walsh, former Syracuse Mayor and former U.S. representative, pose for a picture at the 2003 Republican Ball at the OnCenter. Photo: Peter Chen / The Post-Standard
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Rep. Jim Walsh said today he will retire from Congress at the end of his term in January 2009, ending a 20-year career in the House of Representatives.
Walsh was surrounded by his wife, DeDe, two of his children and a crowd of supporters at 2:30 p.m. as he announced the end of his political career.
"It's time to go," Walsh said in an interview with The Post-Standard. "I never thought I would stay in Washington this long. Ever."
He added, "For the last four or five years I've wrestled with the idea of retirement."
Walsh, 60, said no single factor convinced him to make the decision now; rather it was a gradual conclusion finally reached after a Sunday family dinner Jan. 13 and a trip last weekend to Washington with his wife.
The 10-term congressman waited until Wednesday night to inform Republican leaders in Congress, and started calling county party leaders and elected officials today.
"A lot of people are disappointed and a lot of them are shocked," Walsh said. "For me, they're happy."
Walsh said he has not decided what he will do after leaving office, but he has ruled out the idea of running for mayor of Syracuse or any other elected position.
Walsh said a variety of factors contributed to his decision, but the final factor was that he felt he had no more big challenges on his agenda for Central New York. As one of the leading Republican appropriators in Congress, he has brought back more than $1 billion to New York state during his career.
Walsh said whoever replaces him - Republican or Democrat - will not be able to bring as much federal money to Central New York as he has, at least not for some time.
"It's going to take awhile for someone else from this area to be able to do these types of things," he said, referring to the more than $50 million he has secured for the Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative. "What will happen is that people will realize these are the golden days. And they're gone."
Walsh had also grown increasingly weary of attacks on his stand on the Iraq war, which almost cost him a re-election bid in 2006. He defeated Democrat Dan Maffei, of DeWitt, by about 3,400 votes. It was the closest election of Walsh's congressional career.
After returning to Congress last year, Walsh opposed President Bush's troop surge in Iraq and later decided that he would support efforts for a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Walsh said his biggest goal for his final year in office is to help make the Syracuse school district the best it can be by delivering funds for teacher training.
Walsh declined to comment on any of the potential Republican or Democratic candidates who might run for his seat. "I suspect there's going to be a lot of interest on both sides," he said.
Of the $600,000 left in his campaign coffers, Walsh said, "I will be very generous to the Republican Party. Locally and nationally. I will try to be very helpful to our candidate here, and to the party."
Walsh said he felt honored to serve as a congressman for so long.
"I voted to go to war. And not to go to war. I voted to impeach a president. I witnessed our capital under attack. I will never forget as long as I live seeing the Pentagon on fire outside my office window," he said.
Walsh's retirement is part of a trend that has seen Republican numbers dwindle in recent years in the Northeast. Walsh is among seven Republicans remaining in the House of Representatives from the 51-member delegation representing New York and New England.
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Headlines: January, 2008; RPCV James Walsh (Nepal); Figures; Peace Corps Nepal; Directory of Nepal RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Nepal RPCVs; Politics; Congress; New York
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Story Source: The Post-Standard
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