(5MinNewsBreak.com) – The GOP has just seen another high-profile member calling it quits as US Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodges, a Congress member for 20 years and the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairwoman, has announced she had decided against seeking reelection.
Since 2005, McMorris Rodgers has served the 5th Congressional District of Washington.
Her committee is recognized for its extensive responsibilities, making her role particularly influential, The Daily Caller comments in a report.
It notes that her departure marks the end of a 20-year tenure creates an opportunity for another Republican to assume her prestigious committee leadership role.
In a detailed statement shared on X, McMorris Rodgers expressed gratitude towards her supporters and collaborators throughout her career.
She did not provide a specific reason for her departure but mentioned, “[a]fter much prayer and reflection…the time has come to serve [the people] in new ways.”
Previously, McMorris Rodgers played a significant role in the House Republican leadership as the Conference Chair for six years, from 2013 to 2019.
During her tenure in this capacity, the Republican Party secured three consecutive House majorities.
Notably, she was chosen to deliver the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in 2014.
McMorris Rodgers’ tenure as chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee could have been extended for four more years, adhering to the Republican Conference’s rule that limits committee leaders to six years of service.
Her unexpected decision to retire has surprised many, considering the value placed on committee chairmanships and the usual practice of members completing their terms in such positions, The Caller reports.
“Truly wild stuff. [McMorris Rodgers] only got the gavel at the start of this congress, so she had four more years under House GOP term limits to be the top Republican on one of the most powerful committees on Capitol Hill,” one congressional journalist commented on X.
McMorris Rodgers is among 19 House Republicans, including several senior figures, who have decided not to run for reelection.
This group includes Patrick McHenry, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and former acting speaker pro tempore, and Kay Granger, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee.
The House Republican Conference has faced various controversies, notably since the ousting of Kevin McCarthy as speaker on October 3, following a motion by Republican Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida.
