, ▁Con rad ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁ret iring ▁from ▁politics ▁and ▁would ▁not ▁run ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁He ▁said ▁in ▁a ▁statement ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁more ▁important ▁that ▁" I ▁spend ▁my ▁time ▁and ▁energy ▁trying ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁solving ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁budget ▁wo es ▁than ▁be ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁another ▁campaign ." ▁Fellow ▁Dem ocrat ▁He idi ▁He it k amp ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁replace ▁him . ▁ ▁Con rad ▁currently ▁co - ch airs ▁the ▁B ipart isan ▁Policy ▁Center ' s ▁Commission ▁on ▁Ret irement ▁Security ▁and ▁Personal ▁Sav ings . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Re Form ers ▁C au cus ▁of ▁Issue ▁One . ▁In ▁addition , ▁he ▁serves ▁on ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁for ▁a ▁Res p ons ible ▁Federal ▁Bud get . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Con rad ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁B ism ar ck , ▁North ▁Dak ota , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Ab ig ail ▁and ▁Gay l ord ▁E . ▁Con rad . ▁He ▁was ▁or phan ed ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age ▁and ▁subsequently ▁raised ▁by ▁his ▁grand par ents ▁in ▁B ism ar ck . ▁He ▁attended ▁Ro ose vel t ▁Element ary , ▁Hugh es ▁Junior ▁High , ▁and ▁W heel us ▁Air ▁Base ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁Tri pol i , ▁Lib ya , ▁before ▁eventually ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Phill ips ▁Ex eter ▁Academy . ▁He ▁then ▁went ▁to ▁college ▁at ▁Stan ford , ▁and