Some Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill announced their intent to call it quits and not seek reelection on Thursday, setting the stage for a major shift in both chambers.
On the House side, Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) have opted not to run for office again in 2024. Local media outlets also reported Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) plans to step down. In the Senate, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced his widely anticipated retirement, adding to speculation that he’ll embark on a third-party presidential run.
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Manchin stepping down leaves the already vulnerable Senate Democrats more susceptible to Republicans attempting to close the chamber’s slim majority. The West Virginia senator, who served in the role since 2010, has shifted away from the Democratic Party recently, voting against key legislation and pushing for an independent ticket in 2024.
In an announcement that people suspected for months was in the works, Manchin said his decision came “after months of deliberation and long conversations with my family.”
“I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia. I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for reelection to the United States Senate, but what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together,” Manchin said in a statement.
Moving on to the House, multiple retirements add to the Democrats facing an uphill battle to close the GOP’s historically thin majority in the chamber next November.
Kilmer, who served for eight years in the Washington state legislature before being elected to Congress in 2012, said he is stepping down to spend more time with his family.
“As nourishing as this job has been, it has come with profound costs to my family,” Kilmer said. “Every theatrical performance and musical recital I missed. Every family dinner that I wasn’t there for. The distance I felt from my family for months after the events of January 6.”
Kilmer is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and is known as a centrist Democrat.
Following his announcement, two state lawmakers expressed interest in running for Washington’s 6th Congressional District. Democratic state Rep. Emily Randall and Republican state Sen. Drew MacEwen told PBS they are strongly considering a bid.
Local news outlets in Buffalo reported Higgins plans to step down and take over as the new president and CEO at Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
“I’ve heard the same rumor now for a couple of months, and it does appear that something is in the works and might develop in the near future,” Ken Kruly of Politics and Other Stuff told WBEN, adding he’s also been floated as the next president of Buffalo State University.
Higgins has served as a congressman since 2005. If he were to step down before the 2024 election, a special election would need to be called to fill his seat. However, if he waits until next year, New York’s 26th Congressional District would be vulnerable to Republicans, who are already hoping for a red wave in the state in 2024.
Wenstrup, a longtime Cincinnati-area congressman, announced he would retire after two decades in office. The five-term congressman said in a video statement that he would like to spend more time at home with his family.
“Sadly, all too often, the frantic pace of Washington has kept me away from our home,” Wenstrup said. “I’m ready to change that. So I want you to hear it from me first: I’ll be retiring from Congress at the end of next year.”
The chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic promised to “reveal the facts about the origins of COVID.”
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There are no major Republicans who have announced a run in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District. Samantha Meadows, former advanced EMT-I and first responder, is the sole Democrat in the race. Wenstrup defeated Meadows in 2022 with 74.5% of the votes.
As the news of retirements unfolds, the Democratic Party is tasked with identifying strong candidates in the running to fill their role next year.
