Tipsheet

The 25th Democrat Announces She's Retiring from Congress, and This One Ran for Leadership

It seems that just about each day we learn of more Democrats retiring from Congress. As Madeline reported on Tuesday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) is retiring, or, as he calls it, he has "been reassigned." On Tuesday evening, Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) shared via a Twitter video message that she is also retiring. 

The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) referred to this retirement as a "shocking development for a senior Member of Congress," especially considering she had just run for a leadership position in the last Congress. 

As Melissa Nann Burke reported for The Detroit News on November 16, 2020, Rep. Lawrence ran for a leadership position within the party where she would serve as a liaison between leadership and Democratic members who had served five or fewer terms in the House. She would also be on the Steering and Policy Committee. 

Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) narrowly won that position, as Lindsey McPherson reported for RollCall. 

Calvin Moore, the Communications Director for CLF chimed in on Lawrence's exit. "Democrats hoped to hit the brakes on their retirement crisis, but instead they’ve thrown it into overdrive," he said. "Democrats can't quit Congress fast enough because they know they're about to get voted out of their Majority." 

Squad member Rep. Rashida Tlaib will run for re-election in the new 12th district that included where Lawrence represented, under the state's redrawn maps. 

As Sarah Ferris reported for POLITICO, Lawrence's retirement surprised some colleagues, but also had "raised some suspicion" she wouldn't run after redistricting "virtually eliminating her current seat." 

Republicans are largely expected to gain control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections. Cook Political Report last week released its projection that the races favor Republican control.