The Tolbert Report

Sources inside Washington confirm to the Tolbert Report that Democrat Rep. Marion Berry will retire.  His announcement will come tomorrow morning.  This is developing fast and I will update as information becomes available.

For more see Roby Brock on Talk Business and David Kinkade with the Arkansas Project, one of which broke the story minutes apart from each other.

Possible names for the open seat are coming in fast.  On the Democrat side, Berry’s chief of staff Chad Causey and former DPA Executive Director Jason Willett are likely to get in the race.  Causey looks to have Berry blessing.  At the Gillett Coon Super, Berry spent about four or five minutes singing his praises.  Other likely candidates include West Memphis State Rep. Keith Ingram, Paragould State Sen. Robert Thompson or former Paragould State Sen. Tim Wooldridge.

On the Republican side, Rick Crawford has been in for some time but the possibility exists for a big name such as Stanley Reed or Davy Carter (Carter tells Roby Brock he is not running) to get in now that the seat is open.  Wynne native and Communications Director for Rep. Joseph Cao - Princella Smith is also considering getting in the race, sources confirm.  I am also hearing State Sen. Johnny Key from Mountain Home is a real possibility.

Roby Brock has a much longer list of names.

UPDATE – The only current announced candidate Republican Rick Crawford passes along the following statement…

“I respect Congressman Berry’s decision to retire and applaud his many years of public service. I will continue to run a strong campaign based on creating jobs, reducing the deficit, and representing Arkansas values. We can’t afford Obama’s liberal agenda and I am ready to go to Washington to be a check and balance on the liberal Congress.”

UPDATE II – Based on the news of Berry’s retirement, CQPolitics changed its rating this morning from Leans Democrat to Tossup.

UPDATE III - Official statement from Rep. Berry on the jump.  Berry said, “As a lifelong farmer, time has taken its toll on my health and I am no longer able to serve the district with the vitality I once possessed. Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2010.”

UPDATE IV - Also on the jump, Dustin McDaniel issues a statement in which he appears to confirm that he will seek re-election as Attorney General and will not run for the open Congressional seat saying, “I love serving Arkansas as our Attorney General, and I am hoping to be re-elected to a second term.”

Washington, D.C. –   After serving Arkansas’s First Congressional District for 7 terms, Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR, 1st) announced today in the following statement that he would not seek reelection in 2010.  
 
“Since 1997, the people of the First Congressional District of Arkansas have entrusted me to serve them in Washington. It has been an honor I have never taken for granted and for their support I will be eternally grateful. After much prayer and consideration, I have decided it is time for me to return home to Arkansas.  The people deserve a representative who has the ability to rise to the numerous challenges that face our state and our nation. As a lifelong farmer, time has taken its toll on my health and I am no longer able to serve the district with the vitality I once possessed. Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2010. I am at perfect peace with this decision and look forward to returning to the farm and my home state of Arkansas.”
 
During his time in Congress, Representative Berry has served on the House Agriculture Committee, the Budget Committee and in 2003 he was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee where he currently serves on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Energy and Water, and Transportation Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.
 
Congressman Berry was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996. Berry, a lifelong resident of Arkansas County, has been recognized for his effective leadership on a range of national issues while fulfilling his commitment to faithfully represent the citizens of the First Congressional District of Arkansas in Washington, D.C.

………………………………………………………