Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R) announced Thursday that he would retire rather than seek re-election in 2018. Goodlatte has represented Virginia's sixth congressional district for nearly 25 years, but said that with 2018 coinciding with the end of his chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee, "this is a natural stepping-off point and an opportunity for me to begin a new chapter of my career."
Goodlatte is but the latest Republican representative to announce he will retire rather than seek re-election in 2018, joining the likes of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Texas). Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) have announced high-profile departures from the upper chamber as well. After Democrats won handily in Tuesday's off-year elections — including a sweep of the top races in Goodlatte's state of Virginia — the party is hoping to carry that momentum into next year's midterms, with the goal of recapturing the House majority.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Global court issues arrest warrant for NetanyahuSpeed Read The International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who stand accused of war crimes
-
Gaetz bows out, Trump pivots to Pam BondiSpeed Read Gaetz withdrew from attorney generation consideration, making way for longtime Trump loyalist Pam Bondi
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom banSpeed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid warSpeed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freezeSpeed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bansSpeed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler groupSpeed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emergeSpeed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
