Recently expelled George Santos is not the only lawmaker to leave Congress. Over the past few weeks, a number of members have announced their resignations or retirement, and many more are expected to follow suit.
Life as a representative or senator comes with great power and responsibility, and many are easily reelected. Given these perks, why are members leaving? What does this mean for this Congress and the next?
First, the scope of retirements and resignations in this Congress could be quite large.Following the retirement of Congressman Patrick McHenry announcement on tuesday, almost 40 Lawmakers have said they will not seek re-election. What drove this number up was a spike in November when more than 10 of his colleagues made this announcement. Such announcements are typically made at the beginning of an election year, so it’s unusual to see such high numbers in November. This suggests that more people may retire, which could become a substantial retiree group.
Reasons for leaving can vary, but they usually fall into predictable categories. Several members are running for other offices. senator mike braun He is running to become the next governor of Indiana. Congressman Jim Banks is currently seeking to fill the seat vacated by Brown. Some pursue career opportunities outside of elected office. Congressman Bill Johnsonis leaving the House of Representatives to become president of Youngstown State University.
Your age and health status will also influence this choice. senator mitt romney “Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders,” he said, noting that if re-elected he would serve until his mid-80s. Many also cited family concerns such as: Congressman Brad Winstrupwho want to spend more time with young children.
Some even say politics itself is a motivating factor in leaving Washington, D.C. Rep. Debbie LeskoIn a statement announcing his retirement, he said, “Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken. Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken. It’s hard to get anything done.”
These retirements have several implications. First, they are no longer up for re-election, so they are cut off from the electorate, and their membership could change depending on their behavior. They probably won’t be as enthusiastic. scholar These members were found to be reducing their participation in Congress. They may also change their voting habits. It’s possible some members will move a little to the right or left, but it’s hard to predict who will change and by how much.
Both of these factors could prove important given the narrow margins in the House. With Santos’ ouster, House Republicans can only lose three votes on any bill. Running the House would become even more difficult if members stopped voting or started voting differently.
Beyond this immediate session, introducing new members into Parliament also has implications for how Parliament works.academic i got you New members are more likely to stick with their fellow party members and less likely to reach out across the aisle. In other words, Congress could become even less welcoming of bipartisanship.
As the presidential election year approaches, there could be more retirements, especially if polls begin to predict a close race and outside parties decide to leave. Policy-making, already complicated this year, will become even more difficult over the next 12 months due to issues with attendance and changing attitudes. And the end result is likely to be a more partisan Congress, potentially fueling a mass retirement cycle in which disgruntled members seek greener pastures.
In other words, think of these retirements as exacerbating, not improving, the challenges facing Congress.
Dr. Michael E. Bednarczuk is an assistant professor of political science at Austin Peay State University. He studies political behavior and public service.
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