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News has just broken via the Associated Press that Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI) will not seek re-election in the fall. This announcement has come in the wake of controversy regarding the healthcare legislation and its abortion language.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan tells The Associated Press that he'll retire from Congress rather than seek a 10th term this year.
Stupak has drawn criticism from opponents of the recently enacted health care overhaul after leading a bloc of anti-abortion Democrats whose last-minute support was crucial to its approval by the House
Tea party yahoo's are seeing this as a victory for them, claiming that they forced him to retire. Stupak claims otherwise.
But Stupak tells the AP the attacks didn't influence his decision and he could win re-election if he tried.
He plans to announce his decision at an afternoon news conference at Northern Michigan University.
He says he wants to spend more time with his family and start a new career after 18 years in Congress.
I would have to imagine that the threats against his family and himself over his vote for healthcare may have played a part despite his denial of it
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