Speaking at the Maidu Community Center in his California district, Doolittle said he will serve out the remainder of his term but won’t run in November’s election.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday that Doolittle took one for the team.

“John’s decision was made in the best interests of his family, his constituents and the House, and I appreciate his years of service in Congress,” Boehner said. “My prayers remain with John and [his wife] Julie, and I wish them the best as they work to bring this difficult process to a resolution.”

Doolittle has served for nine terms, but his credibility has been called into question in the last year.

Rumors of his departure began to surface shortly after FBI agents raided his Virginia home on April 13, 2007. Days later, he met with Boehner and volunteered to relinquish his seat on the House Appropriations Committee. However, sources close to the talks acknowledged that leadership was prepared to remove him.

GOP sources have suggested that rising legal fees have been one reason Doolittle has held on to the seat since the raid. He is able to pay them through his campaign committee.

Doolittle faced a potentially difficult primary and an arduous general election rematch.

He defeated Democrat Charlie Brown 49-46 in 2006, but that was before the FBI raid. Brown is running again and started campaigning almost immediately after the election.

Brown raised a half-million dollars through the third quarter and was outpacing Doolittle. He launched his first radio ads last month.

“I believe John did the right thing today for his family, for the 4th District and for America,” Brown said. “Now is the time to unite as Americans, heal our wounds and move forward to solve the many difficult challenges we face both here in CD4, and across the country we love.”

On the GOP side, former state legislator Rico Oller has said that he plans to run if Doolittle steps aside, and former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) might also run for the seat.

Ose honored a term-limit pledge by stepping aside in the neighboring 3rd district in 2004.

State Assemblyman Ted Gaines has formed an exploratory committee but has not officially entered the race. He has said he would wait for Doolittle to make a final decision.

Doolittle’s 2006 primary opponent, former Auburn Mayor Mike Holmes, has already entered the race, as has Iraq veteran and political newcomer Eric Egland. Doolittle defeated Holmes 67-33. Neither Holmes nor Egland has raised a significant amount of money for the race.

Jon Fleischman, a regional vice chairman of the California Republican Party and longtime Doolittle friend, stood up for the outgoing congressman.

“It is outrageous that we are at a time and place in America, of all countries, where the mere investigation of allegations of wrongdoing, combined with upspin from the media, cause the unaccused to be, in essence, tried and convicted in the court of public opinion,” Fleischman said. “The Congressman's retirement is an acknowledgement of an unfortunate political reality, and a chilling statement about the cynicism of the voting public."