Political observers might conclude that U.S. Rep. James Walsh's decision against seeking re-election to an 11th term in the U.S. House of Representatives came about because his chances of victory this fall had diminished.

While it's true that Walsh would have faced perhaps his toughest challenge to date, we also agree with Walsh's stated reasoning that it was simply the right time for him to move on. It's refreshing to see an elected official view his two decades of service in the U.S. House of Representatives as enough, and make the move to give voters fresh choices.

Too many Washington lawmakers hold on far too long, to the point where they lose complete touch with their constituents.

Walsh was never such a politician, and that's what made him so effective.

For 14 years, he was Cayuga County's main representative in Washington.

Re-districting limited his coverage to the northern part of the county starting in 2002.

But for all of those years, you could always count on Walsh to be an advocate for central New York, first and foremost. He would scratch to bring funds home for a range of projects, from a few thousands dollars for the smallest villages to multi-million dollar grants for major regional initiatives.

Walsh has also been an active problem solver. He's a Washington lawmaker, yes, but he was accessible to local leaders at every level when they needed his assistance.

He was that way, largely, because that's what he loved about the job.

Walsh has never been the type of congressman angling to make a name for himself nationally. He was not a regular guest on “Meet the Press” or “Hardball.”

At heart, he has always been just a hard worker and ferocious advocate for the region he calls home.