House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) became the ninth Republican leader to announce he will not be running for re-election in 2018, following colleagues like House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) and House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). Gowdy's resignation comes as a particularly startling surprise, as his district, South Carolina's fourth congressional district, is considered safely Republican. Gowdy beat his Democratic challenger by 67 percent in 2016.
Nearly 40 House Republicans have now said they are retiring. The last time there was such a massive departure from Congress was when 28 Democrats left in 1994, and Republicans subsequently seized control. Take a look at the exodus of committee chairs below. Jeva Lange