Rep. Bart Stupak to retire, casualty of health care reform battle
| Washington
The retirement of Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who shot to prominence over the abortion issue in the healthcare reform debate, represents a blow to the Democratic Party in its battle to retain control of the House this fall.
Congressman Stupak fought to prevent the healthcare legislation from allowing federal funds to be spent on abortion, and in so doing, won enemies among both supporters and opponents of abortion rights. His ultimate vote for the bill displeased abortion foes, who said the final version did not do enough to hinder federal spending on abortion.
In a statement Friday afternoon, announcing that he would retire at the end of his term, Stupak touted healthcare reform as a signal achievement of his 18 years in Congress.
鈥淲hen I first ran for Congress in 1992, I campaigned on a pledge to make affordable, quality healthcare a right, not a privilege for all Americans,鈥� Stupak said. 鈥淎fter 18 years, together we have accomplished what you sent me to Washington to do.鈥�
IN PICTURES: Retiring House Democrats
Stupak passionate about healthcare
Stupak was so passionate about the healthcare issue that he pledged not to accept the Federal Employees Health Benefit Package that members of Congress receive until all Americans had access to the same quality of care.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report immediately moved Stupak鈥檚 seat, in Michigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula, from 鈥渟olid Democratic鈥� to 鈥渢oss-up.鈥� Stupak鈥檚 profile 鈥� social conservative, pro-labor 鈥� fit that of his district, and he is personally popular. President Obama won the district by the smallest margin of any he won in the 2008 election.
鈥淭o keep this seat in the current political environment, Democrats will need to field a culturally conservative candidate with impeccable northern Michigan credentials,鈥� the Cook report writes.
Open seats represent the greatest danger of changing partisan hands, especially in swing districts. In 1994, when the Republicans swept the Democrats out of power in Congress, the Democrats had to defend about two dozen 鈥渉ighly vulnerable Democratic open seats,鈥� according to the Cook report. As of now, the Democrats are defending only half as many open seats.
Stupak already faced a challenge in the Democratic primary, in addition to Republican opposition. Now, with the seat open, candidates from both parties are expected to flood the field.
Pushed out by the 'tea party'?
Earlier this week, the antitax 鈥渢ea party鈥� movement launched an advertising campaign against Stupak over his support for Mr. Obama鈥檚 health reform. The group Tea Party Express, which had also raised money for the successful campaign of Sen. Scott Brown (R) of Massachusetts, aimed to raise $250,000 for ads against Stupak.
But Stupak insists the tea party played no role in his decision to retire.
鈥淭he tea party did not run me out,鈥� he told the Associated Press. 鈥淚f you know me and my personality, I would welcome the challenge.鈥�
In his retirement announcement, Stupak noted that he considered retiring during the past several election cycles, 鈥渨hen it seemed like healthcare reform was an impossible dream in Washington鈥�.鈥�
But, he said, he felt he still had work to do, both on healthcare and other issues, such as the Iraq war, which he opposed, and on industry oversight. With the election of Obama, Stupak said he saw an opportunity finally to enact health reform, and so he stayed.
During the final months of healthcare debate, Stupak鈥檚 leadership in the House Pro-Life Caucus thrust him into the national spotlight in a way he had never experienced 鈥� not all of it pleasant. He and his family received death threats and had to unplug their home phone. In an interview in the Hill newspaper a week before the bill鈥檚 final approval, Stupak described his life as 鈥渁 living hell.鈥�
