The deluge of congressional retirements that Republicans feared was incoming seems to be beginning, with Washington State GOP Rep. Dan Newhouse saying on Wednesday that he is not going to search reelection.
“This decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,” Newhouse mentioned in a press release.
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Newhouse is the primary Republican to announce his retirement following the spate of particular elections earlier this month that despatched a chill by the spines of the GOP. Republicans worry that the rising backlash to President Donald Trump will sweep them out of energy within the 2026 midterms, and lead different GOP lawmakers like Newhouse to determine to hold it up quite than struggle to stay one other day.
Newhouse, for his half, is without doubt one of the 10 Republicans who voted to question Trump in January 2021, after Trump incited the violent and lethal riot on the U.S. Capitol to attempt to steal the 2020 election he had handily misplaced.
Rep. David Valadao
With Newhouse’s retirement, only one Republican who voted to question Trump over the riot stays: Rep. David Valadao of California. Nonetheless, Valadao is without doubt one of the most susceptible GOP lawmakers up for reelection in 2026, and will see his district slip away if the blue wave that seems to be constructing crests.
Newhouse’s district is closely Republican. Trump carried it by 20 factors in 2024, and 17 factors 4 years earlier towards Joe Biden, making it unlikely a Democrat may win right here even in a wave. Nonetheless, Newhouse might be changed with a extra far-right lawmaker, giving Trump a extra dependable vote for his evil agenda.
Certainly, Trump and his allies tried to oust Newhouse in 2024 in an effort to exchange him with a MAGA consultant who would blindly observe Trump’s orders. However Newhouse narrowly held on in a 2024 election towards a MAGA-backed challenger.
With Newhouse’s retirement, Trump allies are crowing about with the ability to set up considered one of their very own.
