Charlie Rangel Wants To Run Again In 2012

Despite a Congressional censure, and some signals recently that he might be considering retirement at the end of his current term, Charlie Rangel is already taking the steps to run for a 22nd term:

t looks as if Rep. Charlie Rangel wants to come back for a 22nd term.

The 80-year-old New York Democratic Congressman filed a 2012 statement of candidacy Monday, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Rangel, who first took office in 1971, had been evoking his age in recent interviews, leading some to speculate that his tenure in Congress was coming to an end. Last fall, he faced his most difficult re-election campaign in decades after being found guilty of various ethics violations. He was ultimately censured by the House.

Rangel went so far as to float the names of possible successors in a December interview with the New York Post: “Assemblyman Keith Wright is ‘a great guy with a lot of experience,’ and state Sen. Adriano Espaillat ‘really has a proven record,’ he said. ‘And I’m watching this new fella coming in, [state Sen. Robert Rodriguez].'”

Of course, Rangel could still decide not to run but, for now, Charlie is still in the game.

FILED UNDER: 2012 Election, Congress, US Politics, , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. michael reynolds says:

    Of course he does, Doug. How is he supposed to keep up his lifestyle without a job?

    Betcha a dollar he wins, too.