More House Republicans Ask: Why Win Re-election When You Can Retire Instead

[Zorro]

Congress’s six-week summer recess comes to an end on Monday, and a growing number of House Republicans have sent a clear message: They would much rather stay home.

More than a dozen Republicans of nearly every stripe — moderates and conservatives, relative newcomers and those with decades of seniority, two of the party’s 13 women and its only African-American lawmaker — have all announced their retirements in the past several weeks, underscoring a sour mood in the minority party and a sense of foreboding about its chances to win back the House in 2020. And party operatives believe there are many more departures to come.

Most of them have explained their planned farewells at the end of their terms in 2021 in personal terms, citing health and family concerns or a general sense that “it’s time” and declining to elaborate further. Only a few, such as Representative Will Hurd of Texas, faced a difficult re-election campaign.

But former lawmakers and several political strategists said the departures were more likely a consequence of two slowly dawning realities for Republican House members: Being in the minority is no fun, and their chances of ending Democratic rule next year are fading fast.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/06/us/politics/house-republicans-retire.html

[redstatebluegirl]

1. They are like 45 they do not want to be beaten to a pulp.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. And the biggest

elephant in the room is,they aren't making enough cranky old white people who vote Rethug anymore. Oh btw,the real biggie,changing Demographics.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. Changing demographics have been about to save us for the last two or three decades at least

New generations crop up with attitudes just as bad as their folks.

The young will not save us.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. Yeah, they've already have their Socialist Lifetime Pensions and Cadillac Health Insurance covered.

[LakeArenal]

5. Cuz there's more money to get?