Desperation is the reason that Shays is threatening retirement unless he is given the top GOP spot on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

He is the last Republican member of Congress from New England, and people are starting to recognize that he is irrelevant, because Republicans ignore their more moderate members, so he is unleashing this threat.

He almost lost last time, and there is no way that another Republican can win.

His language is actually a bit stronger:

Even if he runs and wins, and somehow gets denied the top Republican spot anyway in 2009, “I will resign,” Shays said.

That’s fear speaking.