Senator Shelby is Retiring

Richard Shelby’s gifts as a politician are under-appreciated outside of Alabama, but we recognize the legend he his.

Richard Shelby is the fourth GOP Senator to announce their retirement. It is highly unusual for someone to announce this early and serve a full a Congressional term as a lame duck. It wouldn’t surprise me if this were about voting against Trump.

It is highly unusual for someone to announce this early and serve a full a Congressional term as a lame duck. It wouldn’t surprise me if this were about voting against Trump.

Shelby was my first boss after college. I didn’t agree with a lot of his politics but my home state did, and that’s what matters.

I took a job on the House side long before he switched parties — the day after Election Day, 1994 — but I respect his decision. It was best for Alabama. Why stay in the minority party when it was no longer a good fit anyway?

Shelby’s gifts as a politician are under appreciated outside of Alabama, but we recognize the legend he his. And he works hard at it. Shelby remembers one thing about everyone he meets. I told him something when I was a young teenager and for years he brought it up every time I saw him. Pretty neat trick.