Why House Democrats Are Retiring, and What It Means
Congressional departures are usually a signal that a party expects to lose control, but this year other factors appear to be at least as significant.
U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, 86 and retiring.
Photographer: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty ImagesU.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter of California announced on Monday that he would not run for another term, making him the 18th House Democrat retiring after this Congress. That’s not a huge number, especially for an election year immediately after a census and redistricting, although there’s still time for more. The first 2022 primary election is coming up on March 1 in Texas, but filing deadlines in several states for the November midterm elections are still weeks and, in a few cases, months away. Some states haven’t even finished drawing new district lines. Meanwhile, only four Republicans have announced their retirement.
That’s what things typically look like when both parties expect the current minority party to win control of the chamber. Those who expect to find themselves in the minority often retire. But I’m not sure how much of a signal these Democratic retirements are sending.