As the twentieth Democrat announced an exit from the House of Representatives after the midterms, the party’s chances of maintaining the majority have declined, as the Republicans only need to net a quarter of those seats to win back the majority.
The announcements are piling up, with California Democrat Rep. Alan Lowenthal on Thursday becoming the latest to say he would not run for reelection at the end of his current term, noting, “it is time to pass the baton” as his “journey” comes to an end. However, his announcement is only the latest, as older or more vulnerable Democrats are leaving their current seats to retire, including three committee chairs, or seek a different office, either on the local or state level.
As the twentieth departure, Lowenthal casts more doubt on the Democrats’ chances of keeping the House after the midterms since the Republicans only need to net a five. After Lowenthal made his announcement, Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), said, “Democrats have a full-blown retirement crisis on their hand because voters are rejecting their agenda of higher prices, higher crime, and open borders.”