Gutierrez Retires

CQ confirms that Chicago's Congressman Luis Gutierrez will not seek re-election in 2008.

This is no big deal; Gutierrez's seat is safely Democratic, and you can already count it as a retention. It's a useful reminder however, that even though Democrats are in the majority for the first time in 12 years, some among them will retire. They will find they didn't get the position they wanted, or that they can now make more money lobbying, or that their chances for higher office have improved.

As I've pointed out before, more Democrats stayed in the House during the 12 years of their minority status than did Republicans during the same period.