CA-08: Cook retiring

[Gracile]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1173999329419415554

He is retiring to run for a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

[IceSpear]

Too bad this wasn't about Charlie Cook.

Will Donnelly finally win this time?

[Meatball Ron]

Titanium R --> Safe R, potential to become Likely R in a huge wave

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Yawn Safe R

[Landslide Lyndon]

I thought he had already announced his retirement.

[Politician]

Safe R, not even sure if Democrats can make the top two

[VPH]

Too bad this wasn't about Charlie Cook.

Will Donnelly finally win this time?

Gosh I hope not. I was never a fan of Cook, but Donnelly would immediately catapult into the King/Gohmert caucus of extremist lunacy.

[Gracile]

I thought he had already announced his retirement.

There was a lot of speculation earlier, but this is the first official news that he plans on leaving.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Safe R, not even sure if Democrats can make the top two

They didn’t in 2018. Hopefully some Republican less deplorable than Donnelly wins.

[DrScholl]

The Board of Supervisors is better than being in the minority in the House. It's almost the same pay for basically being a ribbon cutter at grand openings. The board does decide land use for the county at large and other important things so there is a bit more of an opportunity to influence policy than in Congress, but it still is a cushy position.

[kapak44]

According to Politics1.com (can't post the link since I am still new here), State Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R), who was viewed as the strongest candidate open seat has jumped into the race. Paul Cook also immediately endorsed Obernolte's candidacy. This one is probably not going to have a lot of suspense. Safe R, and the district already has an anointed successor.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Another Republican getting tired of being in the minority.

Sorry, I mean: Safe R & not flippable, so not worth posting about apparently. So commence the wall of "Safe/Titanium R" posts

These Texas retirement posts oughta come with a race disclaimer in the first post to remove the wall of "Sadly not flipping" and "Likely/Solid/Titanium D/R" posts

Nonetheless, with this House majority, demoralization > flips

[MarkD]

Isn't this the district where Republicans are usually running against fellow Republicans in the general election?

Safe R

[junior chįmp]

Tossup if Dem nominee drives pick up truck through farmlands of CA. Possible tilt D if wearing cowboy hat

[We Live in Black and White]

This thread is pathetic.

[Nyvin]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

[Brittain33]

A tremendous loss for the republic.

[Calthrina950]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

[MaxQue]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

Yes, through Cook seems to be neither of those. He has like 0 accomplishments.

[Tekken_Guy]

Obernolte is like Van Taylor. His heir has been already been decided, and he will face little competition in the primaries.

Definitely a long-shot, but not Titanium R like with Conaway and Shimkus.

[We Live in Black and White]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

I see your centrist hot takes are of about as much value as they've always been.

[DrScholl]

Cook was hardly a valuable player and if his switching to the Board of Supervisors is any indicator he probably was in it just for prestige and the paycheck. Believe it or not, not everyone in Congress goes there to work. Washington, DC is Hollywood for people without talent and that's the way some see it.

[Nyvin]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

You can also be a Media Shill and get a heck of a lot done too,  sometimes lots of media attention can be an asset.   Ralph Nader loved being in the media and he's one of the greatest legislators of modern times.

Or you can hide in the shadows and be a deadbeat like Paul Cook.

[Calthrina950]

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

I see your centrist hot takes are of about as much value as they've always been.

Is this intended to be a compliment? Again, not going to let it get to me.

He was always a backbencher nobody.   I'm sure no one will miss him.

To be a backbencher is oftentimes better than to be a fire-breathing ideologue, whether you are on the left or the right. Many backbenchers are able to do more for their constituents by working quietly in the background then by agitating needlessly.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar ought to take note of this.

You can also be a Media Shill and get a heck of a lot done too,  sometimes lots of media attention can be an asset.   Ralph Nader loved being in the media and he's one of the greatest legislators of modern times.

Or you can hide in the shadows and be a deadbeat like Paul Cook.

This is true, and I didn't intend my post as a defense of Cook in particular. But I find that someone who doesn't angle for attention is more likely to be focused on the job, rather than pursuing the media's adoration. The Squad needs to learn that lesson. If they work on building coalitions, rather than attacking their opponents and making ignorant policy calls, they will get more done.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Believe it or not, not everyone in Congress goes there to work. Washington, DC is Hollywood for people without talent and that's the way some see it.

That needs restating here?