Ramstad to Announce Retirement?

The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad will shortly announce that he will not seek another term.

Ramstad, 61, a moderate Republican representing the suburban Third Congressional District, is in the middle of his ninth term. Ramstad, who once described himself to me jokingly as a RINO (that’s “Republican in name only) was about as moderate as you’ll see in today’s Congress.

At his recent presentation at the Humphrey Institute, he described his reaction when he learned that the Democrats had taken control of the House last year, along the lines of: Well, at least now I can get some of my bills passed. He was especially a champion of a bill to require that addiction and mental illness be treated equally with other medical conditions in health insurance. He said this was a bill that would pass if it could come to a vote, but that was blocked by the GOP leadership.

Story continues at Eric Black Ink.