U.S. House of Representatives not seeking re-election in 2024 election | 2024 election | U.S. Congress

[The Epoch Times, November 14, 2023](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Cheng Wen) With less than a year to go until the 2024 U.S. election day, the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives will be reshuffled every two years. , dozens of members of the House of Representatives have already stated that they will not seek re-election, thus giving new opportunities and preparation time to the new members of the party or to the campaigns of both parties.

These members of Congress who are no longer seeking re-election in 2024 include Democrats and Republicans. They are either retiring, seeking other positions, or making decisions after weighing their futures for other reasons. This article takes a brief look at who they are.

Democratic congressman: Plans to retire

Earl Blumenauer (Earl Blumenauer,Oregon)

Blumenauer announced that he will not run for re-election after serving Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District for 27 years.

Blumenauer, 75, said it was a “difficult decision” not to run for re-election and told Willamette Week in Portland that he would leave Congress. “To get more involved” in his community.

“I’m not sure that two more years in Congress is the best way to deal with the things that I care about in this environment,” Blumenauer told the publication before formally announcing the decision.

His district, which includes much of north and southeast Portland, is a solidly Democratic district, with the Cook Political Report rating it a “D+22,” indicating the seat is highly It may still be in Democratic hands in 2024.

In 1996, Blumenauer was elected to the House of Representatives in a special election to fill the seat of Democrat Ron Wyden. After Wyden left the House, he won a seat in the Senate, where he serves until now.

Brian Higgins (Brian Higgins,New York state)

Higgins, 64, announced in November that he would resign from the House of Representatives before the end of his current term, citing dissatisfaction with Congress.

“I’ve always been a little impatient, a trait that has helped us make remarkable progress for this community,” Higgins said in a statement posted to the X (formerly Twitter) platform, “but the pace in Washington, D.C., can be slow and It’s frustrating, especially this year. So, after careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to leave Congress and explore other ways to build and serve Buffalo and Western New York.”

Higgins said that he will resign in February 2024, which is still one year before the congressional change in January 2025.

This is Higgins’ 10th term. He has served in Congress for 19 years and represents New York’s 26th Congressional District. Higgins’ subsequent campaign is likely to remain in the hands of the Democratic Party, with the “Cook Political Report” believing that the district in this race is “firmly Democratic” with a rating of “D+9.”

His early departure would pave the way for a special election for the seat next spring.

Derek Kilmer (Derek Kilmer,Washington State)

Kilmer, 49, announced in early November that he would not run for re-election.

He has served in Washington State’s 6th Congressional District since 2013. Previously, he served in the Washington State Senate for five years and in the Washington State House of Representatives for two years.

“I look at life in chapters. I spent ten years working in economic development. I spent eight years in the Washington State Legislature,” Kilmer said in a statement about not seeking re-election. “I have served in the U.S. House of Representatives It’s been nearly 11 years. I never imagined letting this chapter be what I would do with the rest of my life, and — as I share with my kids — I’m excited to start a new one after my term ends Chapter.”

In the House of Representatives, Kilmer served as chairman of the New Democratic Coalition from 2019 to 2021 and as chairman of the House Modernization Committee from 2019 to 2023.

The “Cook Political Report” believes that Kilmer’s district “firmly supports the Democratic Party” and is rated “D+6”.

Grace NapolitanoGrace Napolitano,California)

Ms. Napolitano will retire at the end of her term after serving 25 years in Congress. She first served as a member of Congress in 1998 and is now 86 years old, making her the oldest member of the House of Representatives.

Although she moved her district several times due to redistricting, she represented parts of East Los Angeles throughout her career. She currently represents California’s 31st Congressional District, which is likely to remain in Democratic hands in 2024.

John Sarbanes (John Sarbanes,Maryland)

Sarbanes announced in October that he would not run for re-election in 2024 and said he would return to his previous work with nonprofits and community volunteerism.

Sarbanes, now 61, has represented Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District since 2007. The district was previously represented by current Senator Ben Cardin.

Sarbanes’ seat is likely to be safe for Democrats in 2024, with the Cook Political Report predicting the race will be “firmly Democratic” with a “D+10” rating.

Jennifer Wexton (Jennifer Wexton,Virginia)

Ms Wexton announced in September that she would not seek re-election in 2024 due to worsening health challenges.

Ms Wexton, 55, revealed in April that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In September, she announced that her diagnosis had been progressive supranuclear palsy, which she described as “steroid Parkinson’s disease.”

“After so many years of serving the community, I am heartbroken that I have to give up something I love,” Ms. Wexton said in a statement. “But considering my health in the coming years, I am heartbroken. I have decided not to seek re-election at the end of my term, but to spend this precious time with Andrew, our sons, my friends and loved ones.”

Ms. Wexton was elected to the House of Representatives for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in 2018. According to the Cook Political Report, the district is likely to remain Democratic in 2024.

Democratic PartyRepresentative:seek itsitpositional

Colin Allred (Colin Allred,Texas)

Allred announced earlier this year that he would run for the Democratic nomination to challenge Texas Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

Allred, 40, has served three terms as a member of the House of Representatives for Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report lists as “strongly Democratic” with a rating of “D+14.”

However, Allred’s bid for the Senate seat may be a difficult challenge because Texas has not elected a Democratic senator in 30 years. Despite acknowledging this, Allred also said that “people like me should never have gone this far,” but he still believed that he had “taken down a lot of tougher people than Ted Cruz.”

Lisa Blount Rochester (Lisa Blunt Rochester,Delaware)

Ms. Blount Rochester will not run for re-election to the House of Representatives. She announced in June this year that she will run for the U.S. Senate seat in Delaware, hoping to fill the seat occupied by retiring Democratic Senator Tom Carper (Tela). Huazhou) left a vacancy.

Ms. Blount Rochester has represented Delaware’s vast congressional district since 2017. She is the first woman and the first African American to represent Delaware in Congress. The Cook Political Report rates the district as “Strongly Democratic.”

Ruben Gallego (Ruben Gallego,Arizona)

Gallego will run for Arizona U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s seat.

When announcing his bid for Senate in January, Gallego mentioned his childhood pursuit of the “American Dream” and said “too many Arizonans are seeing their dreams disappear.”

The 47-year-old Democrat was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, representing Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. The Cook Political Report rates it a “D+24” and the seat is likely to remain in Democratic hands in 2024.

Jeff Jackson (Jeff JacksonNorth Carolina)

Jackson, who served only one term in the House of Representatives, decided to run for North Carolina attorney general in 2024.

Jackson, 41, is a former district attorney, former state senator and Afghanistan war veteran who won a House seat in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District in 2022.

At the time, the district leaned Democratic, but the Republican-led state Legislature later approved new redrawn maps that now favor Republicans.

“A group of North Carolina politicians just redistricted my congressional district to unseat me. They will replace me with one of their political allies.” Jackson announced his decision in October, according to the Associated Press “This is political corruption. I have news for them. I’m running for state attorney general and I’m going to use this job to fight political corruption,” Shi said.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, announced earlier this year that he would run for governor of the state.

Andy King (Andy Kim,New Jersey)

King announced in September that he would not run for re-election to the House of Representatives but would instead challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey. Menendez is facing federal indictment on corruption charges.

King, 41, was the first New Jersey congressman to call for Menendez’s resignation in the wake of the allegations. Menendez has refuted the accusations and said he has no plans to resign as senator despite repeated calls from Democratic colleagues.

King, who represents New Jersey’s newly drawn 3rd Congressional District, said his Senate race was “not what he expected,” but that New Jersey “deserves a better (Senator).”

“I believe more than ever that New Jersey needs hard-working, trustworthy leaders who focus on the common good and inject some integrity and civility into our politics,” King wrote in the statement.

King is entering his third term in the House of Representatives after being first elected in 2018. His district represents parts of southern and central New Jersey, and the newly drawn map includes more Democratic voters than the previous district. The Cook Political Report rates the district as “likely Democratic,” with a D+5 rating.

Barbaraplum(Barbara Lee,California)

Ms. Lee is part of a tight race to replace the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.

Feinstein died at her home in Washington, D.C., in September at the age of 90. Before her death, she had announced that she would not run for re-election to the Senate next year.

When Lee, 77, launched her Senate campaign in February, she said she was running for the Senate seat because “Californians deserve a strong, progressive leader who can get real things done and bring about real change.” .

Ms. Lee has represented California’s 12th Congressional District since 1998.

California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein’s Senate seat in October. Previously, Ms. Butler, the head of Emily’s List, a national organization that raises funds for female candidates who support abortion rights, has said she will not run for a full term in the Senate seat in 2024. campaign.

Katie Porter (Katie Porter,California)

Ms. Porter also has her sights set on replacing Feinstein. She announced in January that she would run for the vacant Senate seat.

Even before Feinstein announced her retirement, Ms. Porter issued a statement saying: “It is time for new leadership in the United States Senate” and that California “needs a warrior in Washington.”

Ms. Porter, 49, was first elected to the House of Representatives for California’s 45th Congressional District in 2018. As part of California’s redistricting, Ms. Porter now serves the Democratic-leaning 47th Congressional District.

Adam Schiff (Adam Schiff,California)

In January of this year, Schiff also joined the Senate race, hoping to replace Feinstein.

Schiff is now in his 12th term representing California’s 30th Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report rated as “strongly Democratic.”

In announcing his bid for the Senate, Schiff said the U.S. Senate needed a “fighter who is at the center of the fight for democracy and the economy.”

Elisa Slotkin (Elissa Slotkin,Michigan)

Earlier this year, Ms. Slotkin launched a campaign to succeed Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. That decision came just months after she was reelected for a third term in the 2022 midterm elections.

Ms Slotkin, 47, said the Senate needed “a new generation of leaders who think differently, work harder and never forget that we are public servants”.

Ms. Slotkin represents Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District, which is expected to be a “close” race between the two parties in 2024.

Abigail Spanberger (Abigail Spanberger,Virginia)

Ms. Spanberger launched her campaign for Virginia governor in November and announced she would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives next year.

In a campaign statement, Ms. Spanberger, 44, said she knew “how to bring people together” when the country is at a “crossroads.”

Ms. Spanberger was first elected to the House of Representatives for Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District in 2018 and is now serving her third term.

Following her announcement, the Cook Political Report changed its forecast for the district from “likely Democratic” to “lean Democratic,” with a rating of “D+1.”

David Trone (David Trone,Maryland)

After Democratic U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland announced that he would not seek re-election, Throne launched a campaign to run for Cardin’s Senate seat.

Trone said he was running for the Senate “because time is ticking,” citing issues such as drug overdoses, mental illness and high incarceration rates for black Americans.

Since 2019, Trone has represented Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, which includes the northern suburbs of Washington. The Cook Political Report predicts that competition in the district in 2024 is “likely to favor Democrats,” meaning the district is currently less competitive for Democrats.

republican partyRepresentative: Plans to retire

Kay Granger (Texas)

Ms. Granger is the first Republican in the House to announce she will not run for re-election. The 80-year-old senior Republican congressman said that she will complete the remaining term of her term, which will expire on January 3, 2025, exactly 28 years after she was sworn into the House of Representatives, which will be her 14th term.

After serving as the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Ms. Granger was elected to the House of Representatives for Texas’ 12th Congressional District in 1997.

In a statement, Ms Granger said she was “encouraged by the next generation of leaders” in her region.

“It is time for the next generation to step up and take responsibility and become strong and powerful representatives of the people,” she said.

Ms. Granger’s district in North Texas leans conservative and is expected to remain Republican-controlled in the 2024 election.

Ken Buck (Ken Buck,Colorado)

Buck, 64, is the second Republican to announce she will not run for re-election, just hours after Rep. Kay Granger announced her plans to retire.

As a member of the House Freedom Caucus, Buck has deep differences with other Republican conservatives, especially regarding the results of the 2020 election.

“Our country is on a collision course with reality, and an unwavering commitment to the truth, even the disturbing truth, is the only way forward,” he said in a video announcement posted on the X (formerly Twitter) platform. “Too Multiple Republican leaders have lied to America, claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing January 6 (2021) as an unguided tour of the Capitol, and claiming that the subsequent prosecution (of Trump and his supporters) was our ‘s judicial system has been weaponized.”

Buck was first elected to Congress in 2014, representing Colorado’s 4th District. The district voted for former President Trump by nearly 19 percentage points in 2020, suggesting Republicans are still likely to win Buck’s seat.

Debbie Lesko (Debbie LeskoArizona)

Ms. Lesko, 64, said she would not run for re-election because “Washington, D.C., is broken” and she wanted to spend more time with her family.

“Spending an average of three weeks a month away from family and commuting to Washington, D.C. almost every weekend is difficult,” she wrote in a statement.

Ms. Lesko was sworn into Congress in 2018 after winning a special election to fill the seat left by former Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz. Ms Lesko won her first full term in the November 2018 election.

Given the Republican advantage in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, Ms. Lesko’s home, the seat could still be filled by a Republican in 2024.

Victoria Spaatz (Victoria Spartz,Indiana)

Ms. Spaatz, who represents Indiana’s 5th District, is a Ukrainian-born U.S. congressman who will leave Congress after two terms.

In a statement in February this year, Ms Spaatz said: “I have won many tough battles on behalf of the people and will work hard to win more over the next two years. However, being a working mother is tough and takes the time to I want to spend more time with my two female high school students at home, so I will not run for any position in 2024.”

Despite speculation, Ms. Spaatz has dropped her bid for the seat left vacant by Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana.

Ms. Spaatz’s retirement means an open race in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report predicts will be “solidly Republican.”

Michael Burgess(Michael Burgess,Texas)

Burgess is the latest to announce he will not seek re-election. He announced this decision on November 13 (this Monday).

Burgess, 72, was first elected to Congress in 2002. He represents Texas’ 26th Congressional District. Before entering politics, he practiced medicine for nearly thirty years.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to go from being a small-town delivery doctor with no political experience to being elected to represent my friends and neighbors in the United States Congress,” Burgess said in a statement. “I am filled with satisfaction and gratitude. I am in the mood to announce that I will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024.”

“Having worked diligently on behalf of the constituents of Texas’ 26th District, I look forward to serving out the remainder of my term, which ends in January 2025,” he added. He then thanked his staff and family. The statement did not give any reason for his retirement.

Burgess serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Rules Committee and the House Budget Committee.

His retirement will leave a third open Dallas-area seat up for grabs in the 2024 House elections.

Republican House of Representatives:seek itsitpositional

Jim Banks (Jim Banks,Indiana)

Banks is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Mike Braun, who is running for Indiana governor.

“We need conservatives in Washington who are not afraid to stand up to Biden’s radical agenda… That’s why I’m running for the U.S. Senate on behalf of our great state of Indiana,” Banks said in a January statement.

Banks, 44, was elected to the House of Representatives from Indiana’s 3rd District in 2016. Previously, he served in the Indiana State Senate for six years. Banks’ district is considered “solidly Republican,” and Cook’s political rating is “R+18.”

Dan Bishop (Dan Bishop,North Carolina)

Bishop, 59, is running for North Carolina attorney general.

“For many other reasons, and after months of careful consideration by my wife, Jo, and me, we decided that returning to North Carolina was the right thing for me,” Bishop told WBT Radio in October. said on the podcast “Good Morning BT” (Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson & Beth Troutman).

Bishop was first elected to Congress in 2019 and became a key member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

He represents North Carolina’s 8th District, which is rated “R+20” in the “Red” by the “Cook Political Report” and is a Republican-dominated district.

Alex Mooney (Alex Mooney,WestFuVirginia)

Now in his fifth term in the House of Representatives, Mooney, 52, will challenge West Virginia Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin for his seat. Manchin has decided to retire.

As he launched his Senate campaign, Mooney said he would “go all out.”

The Cook Political Report rates Mooney’s House district as “strongly Republican,” with a rating of “R+22.”

Editor in charge: Li Lin#