Lane Evans to retire

[wndycty]

Ailing Ill. congressman to retire

By Jeff Zeleny
Washington Bureau
Published March 28, 2006, 11:00 AM CST

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Lane Evans, who has battled Parkinson's disease for more than a decade, has told fellow Illinois Democrats here that he intends to announce his retirement from Congress.

Evans, who was hospitalized for a brief period in February, had not cast a vote in the House since Feb. 14 and had not reported to work in his Washington office for more than a month. He began informing members of the Illinois delegation today and plans to make a public announcement as soon as this afternoon.

After he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1995, Evans did not reveal his condition for several years, fearful that it would be used against him in politics. He has held a congressional seat in western Illinois since 1982 and is the ranking Democrat on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

A spokesman for Evans could not immediately be reached for comment. But three officials from the Illinois delegation confirmed that Evans, 54, had told party officials of his decision to retire.
-snip-

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060328laneevans,1,4987975.story?coll=chi-newsroom-hed

[Bluzmann57]

1. Darn! Ya beat me to it!

This is HUGE news for this district. The Democrats don't have any challenger, as far as I know and the repubs just picked Andrea Zinga, a, well, never mind, no name calling here, to run for the seat. She called Evans' health into question last time and it cost her in the end. Man oh man, I sure hope the Dems can find a suitable candidate to run against Zinga. Hate to pick up a seat here in Iowa's first District, only to have it negated by a repub pickup in Illinois' sprawling 17th. Good luck to Lane Evans in whatever he chooses to do from here on out. If he can remain lucid, he will have some sort of involvement, I'm sure.

[mopinko]

2. damn

hate to see this happen AFTER the primary.
this is a loss. iirc, evans voted against accepting the ohio electoral votes. a solid, reliable progressive. hope they pick someone with the same kind of guts.

[Radical Activist]

3. I also hope

they pick another progressive like Evans. The most logical choice would be State Rep. Mike Boland. He's a reliable populist progressive that is well known throughout the district. Knowing the party leaders down here though, they may very well try to caucus in a conservative Democrat.

[mopinko]

4. probably

sad but true.

[wndycty]

5. State Rep. Boland is the popular choice on Rich Miller's blog

http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2006/03/28/this-just-in-lane-evans-to-retire/#comments

[tritsofme]

6. Illinois is really turning into THE battleground for Congress in 2006

Now we have three extremely competitive races that could go either way, and a host of others that are still competitive.

[DanCa]

7. I hate this Damn Fracking Disease

It takes so much out of you and it keeps on taking. Damn it. I remember Laney at a fund raiser two years ago. He gave me my favorite quote.
"I'd rather be a Democrat in a wheel chair than Ronald Regan on top of his high horse."
Laney I love ya bro, I hope your pd gets back under control I know it can't better until the Bush bots pass stem cell research..

:hug: