Rep. Luther weighs options

WASHINGTON (AP) -- After a trying year, Rep. Bill Luther faces the toughest decision of his political career.

Luther, who represents Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, plans to decide this week whether to switch to the 2nd District or retire.

Since his wife, former state Rep. Darlene Luther, died of stomach cancer in January and his district was reshaped by court redistricting in March, Luther's personal life and political future have been in turmoil.

Besides weighing a bid for another term, the Democrat pondered running for state attorney general if the job opened. Attorney General Mike Hatch had expressed interest in the governor's race if state Sen. Roger Moe, DFL-Erskine, did not win the endorsement.

That option disappeared when Moe, Luther's longtime friend, won the DFL endorsement last weekend with Luther's support.

Luther was put in a political squeeze by the court redistricting plan that shifted nearly 60 percent of voters from his suburban 6th District.