Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) announced Tuesday night that he would retire rather than run for re-election this year, a surprise move that imperils the Democrats' 60-seat majority next year.
Dorgan wasn't facing any serious opposition in what would have been a campaign for his fourth term, but North Dakota’s popular Republican Gov. John Hoeven is considering a bid and was leading in early polls.
In disclosing his decision to his staff via memo Tuesday, Dorgan insisted that he was not retiring to forestall defeat in November.
“This decision is not a reflection of any dissatisfaction with my work in the Senate, nor is it connected to a potential election contest next fall (frankly, I believe if I were to run for another term I would be reelected),” Dorgan wrote to his staff.
“But the truth is in recent months, even as I have prepared for a reelection campaign, I have wrestled with the question of whether I really wanted to make a commitment to serve another seven years in the Senate (next year plus a new six year term) following the 30 years I have already served in Congress plus the 10 years I served in elected office in the State Capitol prior to that.” - Politico Story
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