In a few weeks, Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), the chairman of the House International Relations Committee who as Judiciary Committee chief wielded the gavel during President Clinton's impeachment, will announce that he will not seek another term.
The public position of Hyde, 80, an icon of the conservative movement, is that he will make up his mind for sure in April. But I am told he has decided to retire and is unlikely to reverse course.
Be clear on this: Hyde intends to serve out his term and has a robust schedule that provides a remarkable window to U.S. relations with other nations.
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Hyde gained national notice in 1976, when the staunch abortion foe championed a provision banning federal funding for most abortions, a piece of legislation that became known as the "Hyde Amendment'' that was attached to appropriation bills in the succeeding decades.
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As steadfast a conservative as Hyde is, he does not march lockstep with the movement. In 1994, when Newt Gingrich's so-called Republican Revolution swept the House, Hyde opposed the term-limit plank that was part of the GOP's "Contract with America'' on the grounds that it denied voters the right to choose.
Hyde, when he was Judiciary chairman, also bucked the conservative tide when he backed legislation to require mandatory trigger locks on all guns, background checks for buyers of explosives and closing other gun sales loopholes.
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HYDE A synonym for 'hypocrite' derived from the name of the U.S. House of Representive's Judiciary Committee Chairman during the late 1990s, Henry Hyde, famous for his moral pronouncements and advocacy of 'family values', but who was involved in at least one adulterous relationship that he blamed on 'youthful indescretion' when it was later revealed. This was despite the fact Hyde was in his 40s during the relationship - which destroyed the adultress' marriage.
In the 2004 election Christine Cegelis received more than 44% of the vote, the most a challenger has received against Hyde since he first ran for Congress. Out of the 18 challenger races, on both sides of the aisle in Illinois, I received the second highest percentage of votes only behind Melissa Bean--I also raised the third highest amount of money. Most importantly, I became the adopted race of many grassroots organizations like the Democracy for America (DFA), and of course I was named to the Dean Dozen. In Illinois, this is an honor I shared with only one other candidate: Barack Obama.
Christine needs to develop a clear position on social security refom and a specific proposal that will extend the actuarial predictions. After that, she is free to beat on any diversion of social security funds to private accounts.
The Kerry-Bush number was 46-54 in the District meaning as an open seat, the advantage goes to a Republican, but it'll be a race.
