Nation - Rep. Vernon Ehlers says he won't seek re-election to Congress Nuclear physicist held seat in Republican-leaning district since 1993

By Ken Thomas Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Vernon Ehlers, a moderate Republican from Michigan who sought protections for the Great Lakes and funding for math and science education, said Wednesday he won't seek re-election to Congress. Ehlers, 76, who faced a challenge in the Republican primary, announced his retirement at a news conference on Wednesday at the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building in Grand Rapids. Most of his district was once represented by President Gerald R. Ford. "Each of us should recognize that the world doesn't depend just on us and I've been there 16 years now and that's more than enough time for most people and I've accomplished a great deal," Ehlers said in an interview. "I just felt this was a good time to go." "He'd love to stay, but when you're in the minority and the chance of getting back in the majority is fairly slim, it might impact your decision," said former U.S. Ambassador Peter Secchia, a longtime west Michigan GOP activist of Ehlers. "That transportation back and forth has to get to you." Ehlers decided not to seek re-election a day after state Rep. Justin Amash, a conservative Republican, said he would run for the 3rd District congressional seat. Announcing his candidacy, Amash accused the Obama administration and Congress of "spending our money and our children's money to bail out failing companies and reward irresponsibility." Asked whether the primary challenge factored into his decision, Ehlers said, "Absolutely not. I never worried about primary challenges, never had a problem once I got elected. The people saw what I could do." Ehlers of Grand Rapids has held the seat in the Republican-leaning district since winning a special election in December 1993 after U.S. Rep. Paul Henry died. He previously served in the state House and Senate, where he held leadership positions, and as a Kent County commissioner. He taught physics at Calvin College from 1966-83. During his nine terms in Congress, Ehlers has pushed for additional funding to clean up pollution and contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes and supported legislation to approve a compact by the eight Great Lakes states seeking to protect the lakes from diversion to other regions of the nation. As a nuclear physicist who sits on the House Education and Labor Committee and the Science and Technology Committee, Ehlers has been a longtime supporter of funding for science and math education. He got a 61 percent positive rating from the American Conservative Union in 2008, far lower than 88 percent rating received by U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra in west Michigan's adjacent 2nd District. Among the issues on which Ehlers has bucked his party is the $700 million bailout bill of the nation's financial industry in late 2008, which he supported, along with legislation allowing prescription drugs imports from Canada in 2003, which the Bush administration opposed. The congressman also voted against a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning. Ehlers, who has held the seat in the solidly Republican district since winning a special election in December 1993, previously served in the state legislature and taught physics at Calvin College from 1966-83. He was the first research physicist to serve in Congress. He was chosen to lead the House Administration Committee in February 2006 and helped shape ethics legislation. Ehlers said his wife, Johanna, has dealt with recent health problems but it did not play a factor in his decision to retire. The Republican field is expected to grow beyond Amash, a Grand Rapids lawyer in his first term. Other potential candidates include state Sens. Mark Jansen and Bill Hardiman and Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, who has long been considered likely to run if Ehlers stepped down. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, however, chose Land as his running mate in his campaign for governor, complicating a Land run for Congress. The Michigan gubernatorial primary is August 3. Published: Thu, Feb 11, 2010

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