It’s always sad to me to see someone turn off comments entirely. It’s what made Rep. Campfield’s site so great. He wasn’t afraid to hear what people had to say. That’s not to say that I think fear is behind this now. I’m sure he’s just tired of the work – some people really take the joy out of blogging somedays.
Stacey, spam prevention, comment moderation and screening is a lot easier with WordPress. If you need help, just ask around the RTB. I’m sure there are dozens who would help you out.