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March 13, 2008

U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer to Retire

Filed under: AL and DC — Danny @ 7:43 pm

U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer (D - Huntsville) to step down at the end of this term, after holding the position for 18 years.

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30 Comments »

  1. Is there and obvious candidate to replace him?

    Comment by Straight Thinker — March 13, 2008 @ 7:58 pm

  2. Susan Parker said she will run when he does it (less than a month ago) little did she know that would be so soon.

    Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — March 13, 2008 @ 8:09 pm

  3. Bud Cramer is a good man. And as a Republican, I respect him. He tries to do the right thing. The seat will likely go Republican now, but I think Susan Parker would in fact be a promising candidate for Dems.
    Will Cramer’s retirement actually help the Republicans running in district 2 for Everett’s seat? The national and state Dem parties will now have to spend money on a seat they were not even worried about yesterday. They will have to spend on Cramer’s seat now and cannot just concentrate on just district 2. But then again, Republicans will have to spread resources as well. It should be interesting.

    Comment by Nahnanana — March 13, 2008 @ 8:19 pm

  4. Susan Parker is the best candidate by far. Tom Butler or Parker Griffith would be ok, but they are both older than Bud Cramer.

    This will be close, but Dems have the slight edge with a strong candidate like Parker.

    Comment by InterestedDem — March 13, 2008 @ 8:30 pm

  5. what about on the GOP side?

    Comment by InterestedGOPer — March 13, 2008 @ 8:37 pm

  6. All this talk of a GOP takevover will be stymied by the entry of Parker or Griffith. I mean Susan Parker OR Parker Griffith.

    Comment by Straight Thinker — March 13, 2008 @ 8:48 pm

  7. Interesting. Let the jockeying begin.

    Comment by walt moffett — March 13, 2008 @ 8:49 pm

  8. Parker Griffith will be 66 years old on election day…five years OLDER than Cramer. I love him to death, but I can’t imagine he wants to be 1 of 435 Reps at 66 years of age.

    This is setting up perfectly for Susan Parker.

    Comment by InterestedDem — March 13, 2008 @ 8:59 pm

  9. Susan Parker seems like the best candidate. especially since she is already known and the time ro run and raise cash is very compacted. not sure who is interested in the R primary.

    Comment by JT — March 13, 2008 @ 9:01 pm

  10. Possible Authur Orr as a Republican Candidate

    Comment by JD — March 13, 2008 @ 9:19 pm

  11. Carter Wells moved back to the District in the fall, probably to pursue the seat. With Cramer’s backing, Wells could be in good position.

    In any case, this year’s political climate brings the ideal situation for turnover in a competitive district (for the Democrats).

    Comment by more realistic — March 13, 2008 @ 9:41 pm

  12. Cramer is a dem - how would that be a turn over? It is more likely a turn over for the Rs…if that is what you meant.

    Any thought on Cramer possibly running for Governor in 2010??? I wonder if that may be an interest. He would be a helluva a lot better than Folsom to me. I could actually vote for Cramer and I’m a Republican. Folsom is a joke so maybe Cramer has an interest???

    Comment by Bbop — March 13, 2008 @ 9:48 pm

  13. I think Cramer could run for Governor and do well. However, he might actually switch parties and run as an Republican. I don’t think he was the most comfotable being a dying breed of conservative dems in the US House. With Pelosi as their leader…I don’t blame him for wanting to return home. He should take a shot at Governor - not a bad idea in either party.

    Comment by JJazz — March 13, 2008 @ 9:55 pm

  14. The more people that run for Huntsville(Griffith, Wells, and anyone else) that is good news for Susan Paker who would run strong in Morgan, Lauderdale, Colbert, and Lawrance counties. I think Susan Parker would be a good candidate

    Comment by JJ — March 13, 2008 @ 10:35 pm

  15. I can’t see why Cramer would leave the House now except for bad news of some sort — he’s in the majority party and has good committee assignments and seniority. He could have stayed in the House and run for Gov. in 2010 very easily. There’s no need or advantage to retiring now if he wanted that job. I don’t think he plans to run against Sessions either, although the retirement would make slightly more sense in that case.

    In any event, this seat will stay Democratic in November barring a real screw up by the Democratic candidate(s).

    Comment by mooncat — March 13, 2008 @ 10:40 pm

  16. to Bbop:
    I meant turnover in the sense of passing from one Congressman to another, not necessarily from one party to another. Perhaps a poor choice of words, but the point still stands: this is a better year than most for Democrats to hold onto an open seat.

    Comment by more realistic — March 13, 2008 @ 10:56 pm

  17. Checked, Orr lives in CD 4

    Comment by JD — March 13, 2008 @ 11:39 pm

  18. On the above “turnover” comment, I think the writer meant Cramer turning the seat over to a younger Dem (not turnover in the party sense).

    Comment by Anonymous — March 14, 2008 @ 12:07 am

  19. I am surprised there is not more being said about Carter Wells. If he gets Cramer’s support, he could be a really strong candidate. He will have a ton of support from Cramer’s donors and followers. That said, it will be a challenge with Susan Parker’s name recognition relatively high throughout the District.

    Comment by Anonymous — March 14, 2008 @ 12:09 am

  20. Ray McKee is already a GOP candidate.

    Other possible GOP candidates include Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks (former AL Rep) or Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong.

    State Sen. Tom Butler’s (D) name is mentioned, with some uncertainty if he runs as a D or R (IIRC Gov Riley offered a party switch).

    Comment by Reactionary — March 14, 2008 @ 8:50 am

  21. I still can’t understand why anyone would vote for a Republican after the mess they’ve created over the past 8 years? The American people are tired of all war all the time and debt as far as the eye can see. The American people are tired of the culture of corruption and cronyism. The American people are tired of our civil liberties and our freedoms being taken away. The American people are tired of political prosecution. The American people want their country back. The American people want our troops home NOW. The American people want all Americans to have access to health care. The American people want all children to have access to quality public schools. The America people want affordable college cost. The American people want jobs for America. The American people have seen where Republican rule has taken this country.
    It’s time for a change we can believe in.

    Comment by bhmhomeboy — March 14, 2008 @ 10:19 am

  22. Thank you, Homeboy, for our Barack Obama plug of the day.

    And like the original source, your pap is exactly that…insipid pap.

    Yo, speaking of culture of corruption and cronyism, have you read your local and national newspapers over the last few weeks??? Your mayor defines and personifies cronyism and your moral crusaders who get elected to office under banners of Truth, Justice and Light are using $5,000 hookers to cheat on their wives…that is when they aren’t enagaging in homosexual affairs like Jim McGreevy.

    Prediction: Republicans will hold 6 of the 7 congressional seats in Alabama next year.

    Comment by Scorpius — March 14, 2008 @ 10:46 am

  23. Homeboy - your rants are old. This thread was going so well, with respectable comments being made until your garbage was thrown out there. Cramer doesn’t share your liberal views and that is why he is so well respected. On the other hand, you are not.

    Comment by HomeboyGoHome — March 14, 2008 @ 10:50 am

  24. I’m with you Scorpius.

    AL-5 is a GOP leaning district, McCain will take it and that should benefit the GOP candidate.

    Comment by Reactionary — March 14, 2008 @ 10:50 am

  25. Intead of the personal attacks would someone please explain to my why AL-5 would vote for McSame as Bush or any other GOP candidate?

    Comment by bhmhomeboy — March 14, 2008 @ 11:28 am

  26. Not all GOP candidates are like Bush just like all Dems (Cramer included) are like Pelosi. Get a grip homeboy.

    Comment by JT — March 14, 2008 @ 11:38 am

  27. Liberal Views?

    Is wanting our Troops out of harms way a liberal view or an American view?

    Is believing all Americans should have access to a quality education and quality health care a liberal view or an American view?

    Is wanting justice for all and not for some a liberal view or an American view?

    Is wanting jobs for Americans in America a liberal view or an American view?

    Is wanting our right to privacy a liberal view or an American view?

    Is putting the interest of our country over the interest of our political parties a liberal view or an American view?

    JT, I didn’t say ALL GOP candidates are like Bush, nor did I say Cramer was like Pelosi. I said John McCain is the same as Bush.

    Comment by bhmhomeboy — March 14, 2008 @ 12:12 pm

  28. Homeboy…go back to Vermont or wherever you came from.

    Comment by SC#1 — March 14, 2008 @ 2:31 pm

  29. I see this is not the place for an informed, civil exchange of ideas.

    Comment by bhmhomeboy — March 14, 2008 @ 2:36 pm

  30. bud Crammer …a bush democrat……was nothing but a Defense industry slut……his interest were madison county screw the rest of the 5th district.

    Comment by don — May 22, 2008 @ 1:29 pm

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