As Pinellas County Congressman Bill Young begins his 39th year in Congress, speculation again is rife that this might be his last term in office. It's not an absurd notion, considering the legislator just turned 79 last month.
But there was no talk of retirement at a packed Tiger Bay luncheon featuring Young Monday afternoon in Clearwater.
Reiterating what a member of his staff told CL last year, Young said that nothing should be extrapolated about the fact that he did little fundraising in 2009, saying, "I don't like long term political campaigns. I think the people get tired of a steady diet of politics. …the media is already promoting the 2012 campaign for President. I don't do anything in off years. "
Young also took a shot at critics who say he would be vulnerable in 2010, because Barack Obama won the 10th Congressional District that Young represents in 2008 with 51% of the vote. "They forget to remind people that on that same election day Bill Young got 61% of the vote!" he proudly stated.
The Pinellas Congressman faces potentially one of his strongest challengers in a while in the person of Democratic State Senator Charlie Justice. (According to the Web site OpenSecrets.org has raised over $160,000, Young $61,000).
This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2010.