Arizona Congressman John Shadegg is throwing in the towel; he announced today that he will not seek re-election in 2010.

Score one for sanity in government.

Shadegg, who's antics during his tenure in the Congress have bordered on lunacy, is now one of 13 Republicans in the House of Representatives who will not seek re-election this year, but the ultra-Conservative congressman says he vows to continue his "fight for freedom."

Shadegg said in a statement, "While representing the people of Arizona in the House was one of my goals in life, it is not the only one. After 16 years, it is time for me to take my life in a new direction and to pursue my commitment to fight for freedom in a different venue."

Let's just hope that venue is somewhere other than Arizona.

It's not clear whether Shadegg is simply retiring or if he feared another difficult campaign.

In his 2008 campaign, Shadegg only beat Democratic hopeful Bob Lord with 54 percent of the vote -- the lowest percentage Shaddegg had ever received in a House race.

In recent months, Shadegg brought embarrassment to Arizona in countless ways, most notably by using a baby as a prop on the floor of the House. At the time, he used a bizarre brand of baby-speak, using the kid like ventriloquist's dummy, to suggest that terrorists might kidnap New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's daughter if terror trials were held in the Big Apple. He than also endorsed a book that suggests a vast Muslim conspiracy to overthrow the government through Islamic interns in Washington.

Bon voyage, Johnny. Don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out.