Washington Post (Chris Cillizza):
...(Mary Jo) Kilroy, already running again, avoided a potentially costly primary when fellow Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks dropped her bid in early July; Kilroy reported roughly $80,000 in the bank at the end of June.
The Republican field is far less clear since Pryce only recently decided not to run again. The two most often mentioned candidates are state Sen. Steve Stivers and former state Attorney General Jim Petro. Stivers, a member of the Army National Guard who spent time in Iraq, has held the state Senate seat since he was appointed to it in 2003, winning a full term in 2004. Petro lost a primary bid for governor last year to former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.
Outlook: Until the Republican field shakes out, it's hard to make any predictions. But Kilroy's close call in 2006 and lack of a serious primary challenge this time around makes the 15th almost assuredly one of Democrats' top pick-up opportunities next year.....
The other night when Cillizza appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Cillizza said that all the retiring Congressional Republicans were similar to "rats abandoning a sinking ship."
A rash of retirements among House Republicans is adding to the party's electoral challenges and raising questions about a rush for the exits.
Four House Republicans -- Rep. Dennis Hastert and Rep. Ray LaHood, both of Illinois; Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio; and Rep. Charles W. Pickering Jr. of Mississippi -- have all announced in recent days that they will not seek re-election next year, worrying Republican leaders anxious to hold back a potential wave of retirements after the loss of their majority. Hastert, the former speaker, LaHood and Pryce were all well-liked leaders within their party.....
......Capitalizing on their new majorities and sunny prospects, House and Senate Democrats have trounced the Republicans in fund-raising during the first half of the year. The House Democratic campaign committee reported $19.5 million in cash and $4.1 million in debt at the end of June, compared with $2 million on hand and $4.3 million in debt at the House Republican committee.....
Don't you love the phrases "....a rush for the exits..." and "...rats abandoning a sinking ship...." to describe the plethora of retiring Republicans?