Herb Kohl Retiring In 2012?

Could Senator Herb Kohl have plans to retire his seat at the end of the term and forgo running for reelection in 2012?

His spokeswoman told Roll Call on Wednesday that the senator would make a decision later this year on whether or not to run.

When National Journal caught up with the Wisconsin Democrat on Tuesday, he remained tight-lipped on the matter. Kohl reportedly walked away after learning that he was being asked about his plans by a reporter.

The same day, another Democratic senator wouldn't confirm that Kohl would seek another term. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, had very little to say when The Hill inquired about her colleague. She reportedly limited her response to: "Herb's just great."

Republicans pulled off a major victory in Wisconsin in the 2010 midterm election season with the defeat of former senator Russ Feingold. Roll Call recently reported:

In Wisconsin, Sen. Herb Kohl (D) has enjoyed support from more than a quarter of Republicans in his past two elections, but not one Democratic candidate in a Senate race with an exit poll achieved that last year.

Comments

[RGKahn]

07:08 PM on 03/12/2011

Maybe we can persuade Senator Russ Feingold to try for his seat on the upcoming elections in 2012. I have bee trying to get him to run, should Senator Kohl decide to the run again. We need Russ in the Senate. we need to counter balance the voe of the blue dog democrats there. We need a Progressive-Liberal Democratic voice and vote in the U.S. Senate.

[Mara Para]

06:19 PM on 03/09/2011

Oh, please let this be true!

I noticed Herb Kohl was missing a few years ago. Kohl has been the Where's Waldo of Wisconsin for so long, most people here just stopped looking for him. I call him my invisible senator.

Lots of people have been wondering why Obama has not come to Wisconsin to support protestors at our state Capitol. I was wondering why Kohl did not come to Wisconsin to support the protestors.

In fact, he was in Wisconsin a week ago but stayed away from Madison except to attend a UW-Madison alumni function (indoors and not public).

I called Kohl's office to get his schedule of public events while he was in Wisconsin. I was told the schedule was given to media outlets, I might be able to "run into" Kohl at a Buck's game and I would be sent a schedule via e-mail. When I never received that e-mail I realized I had, instead, received the brush-off.

Herb Kohl has to (as my mother used to say) - It or get off the pot. Waiting until the end of the year to announce his retirement doesn't leave much time for a viable progressive candidate to set up an expensive campaign war chest.

A lot of people have been "nominating" Russ Feingold for Wisconsin Governor. I think it would be sweeter revenge to see Feingold run for Senator. I am positive Feingold would win.