Democrats Expect More Departures - Roll Call

Democrats Expect More Departures - Roll Call: "Rep. Bart Gordon (Tenn.) on Monday became the fourth House Democrat from a competitive district to announce a retirement in as many weeks, further energizing Republicans and putting Democrats on high alert, with several party strategists conceding that more departures are inevitable.

Republicans held up the late-year retirements as just a hint of what awaits the Democratic majority heading into the 2010 midterms, as nervous incumbents face a much tougher political environment than in 2006 or 2008.

“It’s official: Democrats now have a retirement problem,” declared Ken Spain, communications director of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Keeping up the party’s drumbeat of opposition to the agenda pursued by President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Spain continued, “This is evidence of the fact that the Obama-Pelosi agenda of government takeovers, permanent bailouts, and fewer jobs is taking a political and mental toll even on incumbent Democrats who were once perceived to be firmly entrenched.”"