House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce
Edward (Ed) Randall RoyceState Dept insists cyber a priority despite office closure It’s time to use surgical strikes, naval blockades and more on North Korea Giffords targets 8 Republicans on conceal and carry in new ads MORE (R-Calif.) announced Monday he will retire at the end of this year.
Royce is now the eighth House panel chairman to opt against seeking reelection in 2018.
He would have potentially faced a tough path to reelection given that his district has become more competitive. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonGrassley blasts Democrats over unwillingness to probe Clinton GOP lawmakers cite new allegations of political bias in FBI Top intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father MORE won it by about 9 points in 2016 even as Royce, who has served in the House since 1993, won reelection by 14 points.
He also would have had to return to the House as a rank-and-file member and relinquish his Foreign Affairs gavel due to the GOP's rules limiting chairmen to three consecutive terms.
“In this final year of my Foreign Affairs Committee chairmanship, I want to focus fully on the urgent threats facing our nation, including: the brutal, corrupt and dangerous regimes in Pyongyang and Tehran, Vladimir Putin’s continued efforts to weaponize information to fracture western democracies, and growing terrorist threats in Africa and Central Asia," Royce said in a statement.
"With this in mind, and with the support of my wife Marie, I have decided not to seek reelection in November," he said.
After Royce's announcement, the election handicapper Cook Political Report said it now considers California's 39th District as leaning Democratic ahead of November.
This is two-column jump worthy: Rep. Ed Royce (R) retirement moves #CA39 from Lean Republican to Lean Democratic at @CookPolitical. https://t.co/cIoco2phFQ
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 8, 2018
Steve Stivers
Steven (Steve) Ernst StiversThe Hill Interview: Missouri Republican has gavel on his radar GOP House campaign group chief touts Republican success in Georgia race White House bashes GOP effort to delay regs on predatory loans to troops MORE, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, called Royce a “lion of the House” in a statement thanking him for service and saying the GOP is eager to defend the seat.
“Republicans are fired up and ready to hold this seat. Orange County has no shortage of Republican talent and a highly organized ground effort with the NRCC at the forefront. We have just one message for Democrats who think they can compete for this seat: bring it on,” Stivers said.
