It was recently reported that House Democrats and senior members are pressing rank-and-file members who have announced they will step down this year ahead of what is expected to be a brutal midterm election cycle for the party to stay in their races no matter how stiff the political headwinds.
The Washington Times reported Tuesday that members who have announced they will step down are being asked to run for reelection as Democrats hope to stave off what many expect to be a major Republican wave as President Joe Biden’s approval ratings continue to tank and Vice President Kamala Harris remains equally unpopular amid rising inflation, a chaotic border, and foreign policy crises.
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The Times adds:
With 28 House Democrats set to retire this year, including several in toss-up districts, lawmakers told The Washington Times that they are pleading with them not to give up without a fight.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said he has been trying to persuade Wisconsin Rep. Ron Kind and other Democrats to delay their decision to bow out in highly vulnerable swing districts.
“I talked to him a couple of weeks ago, and I said, ‘Please reconsider.’ Nobody had joy when Ron Kind announced he was not going to run,” Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, told the Times.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) also said he has spoken with several Democrats asking them to rethink their retirement decisions, though he added that none of them planned to reconsider.
Rep. Lou Correa, California Democrat, said he spoke to several members about rethinking their retirement announcements, though none would reconsider. “It’s clear by the time they announce that they made their decision,” he told the Times.
He blamed the hyperpartisan climate on Capitol Hill, but in fact, most retirements that occur ahead of midterm elections come from members of the party expected to lose control of one or both chambers.
