Democrats Stepping Down (and Republicans, Too)

By CARL HULSE
Published: December 19, 2009

Representative Bart Gordon, a 13-term Tennessee Democrat who is chairman of the House science committee, has never lost any of the 15 counties in his conservative district, let alone been in recent danger of losing his House seat.
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Susan Walsh/Associated Press

After 13 terms, Representative Bart Gordon will not seek re-election.
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He did not expect the outcome to be any different in 2010, though he acknowledged that members of Congress from both parties are going to have to work a little harder for re-election, given the sour national mood.

“I was going to be elected,â€