Schauer said he expects compromises on extending the Bush tax cuts and unemployment benefits because of the economic and political imperatives to do so. He said he doesn’t regret the votes he took despite losing his first bid for re-election.

Schauer also hinted he may not run again, which would leave the Democrats with few appealing prospects from the seventh district to run against Walberg in 2012. The Republican wave that swept Michigan during the fall’s mid-terms has produced little hope for Democrats in the region as even veteran state representative Martin Griffin was unseated by Republican Earl Poleski.