

So what does the current number of 28 departing Democrats say about the coming elections? Some of the incentives for leaving the House three decades ago was the embarrassing revelation that many lawmakers were heavily overdrawn at the House Bank and had not made efforts to even their accounts over periods as long as several months.īut in 2022 there is no such scandal driving exits from the House. Given the swiftness with which “outta here” announcements have been coming in the last few weeks, some in the punditocracy have speculated that the number of exiters will tie or even break the modern high - 40 Democrats who left the House in 1992. and Jerry McInerney, D-Calif., brought the number of departing Democrat U.S. It appears they have failed.The surprise retirement announcements last week of Reps.

The Point : House Democratic leaders have worked desperately to avoid a rush to the exits from within their ranks. When these sorts of members walk away – either from powerful posts or promising careers – it send a very clear signal to every single member of the Democratic caucus: Things are bad, I don’t see them getting better and now’s the time to head for the hills.Īnd that message, of course, has a snowball effect as other members wondering about whether to run again see that their colleagues have concluded now is the time to go and jump ship themselves. Losing a member like Murphy – a prodigious fundraiser and a talented campaigner – is always a blow but more so in an election like this one where Democrats are clinging to their majority.ĭitto retirements of powerful chairs like John Yarmuth (Budget Committee) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (Science, Space and Technology Committee). Without Murphy in the race, Republican map-makers will likely work to make the seat considerably more friendly to their side. Her 7th District has been targeted by state House Republicans in the Florida redistricting process but it was not yet clear what the final seat would look like. THE POINT - NOW ON YOUTUBE! In each episode of his weekly YouTube show, Chris Cillizza will delve a little deeper into the surreal world of politics. Val Demings (D) got into the race against Sen. She is widely regarded as a rising star within the party and was expected to run for Senate in 2022 until fellow Rep. While there will always be some amount of attrition in a chamber as large as the House, the “who” is leaving should worry Democrats.

Two years ago, just nine Democrats had announced their retirement plans at this point of the election while 24 Republicans had done the same, according to CNN’s political unit. Alan Lowenthal said he, too, would be stepping aside.Īll together, there are now 22 Democrats retiring or running for other offices this election cycle as opposed to just 11 Republicans doing the same. And, just before the Sires’ news, California Rep. Albio Sires said he would be retiring at the end of this Congress. Murphy’s decision came less than 24 hours after New Jersey Rep.

POLITICATS RETIRING SERIES
Stephanie Murphy announced Monday that she will not seek a fourth term in Congress, the latest in a rapid series of retirements within the Democratic ranks that suggest momentum is moving heavily against the party as it seeks to hold on to its razor-thin majority next November.
