Congressman Ballenger announces retirement

Washington, D.C. — After 38 years of public service in local, state, and federal government, Congressman Cass Ballenger announced this morning on WHKY-AM in Hickory that he will not seek reelection to a 10th term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ballenger will step down on Jan. 2, 2005 at the end of the 108th Congress.

At one time, Ballenger represented Alleghany County in the U.S. House prior to redistricting.

"It has been an honor to represent the people of the 10th District for nearly 18 years," said Ballenger. "But the time has come for me to pass the torch. I want to thank my family for their support, my staff for their hard work and dedication, everyone who has helped me along the way and, most of all, the voters of the 10th Congressional District." Among Congressman Ballenger's proudest achievements as a member of Congress are empowering the workforce of North Carolina's 10th District by expanding educational opportunities in the region's universities and community colleges and bringing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the 21st Century during his tenure as chairman of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

Ballenger also set the standard for constituent service in the House. "A Comprehensive Guide to Constituent Service," his benchmark publication, is issued to all incoming freshmen representatives by the House GOP Conference.

"Retiring from elected office doesn't mean I'll be taking it easy," said Ballenger. "I'm looking forward to devoting more time to my company and the Ballenger Foundation, and I'm going to work hard to elect more Republicans to office. I am thankful for the unforgettable experiences I have had in Congress serving the 10th District, and now it's time to move on to other things."

Ballenger, who is set to turn 77 this Saturday, has never lost an election.

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