Low morale and redistricting hand Democrats a growing retirement issue

First was Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who announced she would not seek reelection after three terms in the House. She stated that her time in office was both “the honor of my life” and “incredibly challenging for my family and me,” but her decision comes as the Republican-led legislature in Florida has taken interest in redrawing the district she represents, a move that would have made it harder for the Democrat to hold onto the Orlando-area seat.

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Then came California Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, who said in a statement Monday night that “after thirty years in the House of Representatives, the time has come for me to spend more time with my family.”

So far, 22 members of the House Democratic Caucus have announced they will not seek reelection. While it is common for the party in control to see a series of high-profile retirements ahead of a difficult midterm cycle, the sentiment inside the caucus is that even more departures are likely. A combination of political winds tilting toward Republicans, redistricting boxing some members out of easier races and an overall low morale among House members could lead to even more retirements in the coming months.

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