‘I am bone tired’: Wisconsin’s Obey to retire

Rep. David Obey. Photo: WDCpix

Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.) announced Wednesday afternoon that he won’t be running for re-election.

Obey faced the prospect of a tough election against Republican Sean Duffy, a former cast member of “The Real World: Boston” and current Ashland County district attorney. Duffy had Sarah Palin’s backing and, having amassed almost $300,000 last year, is Obey’s best-funded challenger in more than a decade. This week Tim Pawlenty’s Freedom PAC announced Duffy had won its crowdsourced endorsement.

The fourth-longest-serving representative, the 71-year-old liberal Democrat has been in office for 21 terms and currently chairs the House Appropriations committee. He was first elected in 1969 — two years before Duffy was born.

At today’s press conference, Obey gave his rationale: “Frankly, I am bone tired.”

“I think that along the way I’ve made a difference in the district and the state that I represent, and for the country. But there is a time to stay and a time to go and this is my time to go,” he said. “Frankly, I hate to do it. There is so much that needs to be done. But even more frankly, I am bone tired.”