Rep. Dan Newhouse, one of the last two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump in 2021 in connection with the Jan. 6 protests at the Capitol, announced on Wednesday that he is not seeking reelection.
The Washington Republican, announcing the end to his 12-year tenure in Congress, said in a social media post that the decision to retire "comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress."
Newhouse added that he is looking "forward to this new chapter and a way I can continue to serve my community and this great nation," and thanked his family "for their steadfast love and support."
His retirement sets up an open-seat race in his home district.
Newhouse did not name who he would want to succeed him, but said in his statement that he is confident that "there are now qualified and serious people expressing interest in this office."
"Central Washington will have a strong, capable leader to whom I can pass the torch," he added.
Three candidates have already filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for the seat: Republican Jerrod Sessler, who narrowly lost to Newhouse in 2024; Democrat John Duresky, an Air Force veteran; and Republican Wesley Meier, a first-time candidate, reported The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington.
The filing deadline is May 8.
Under Washington's top-two system, the two leading vote-getters in the August primary, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election.
Newhouse is expected to back a candidate he believes will continue his work as an ally of the district's farmers and ranchers in the heavily agricultural region.
However, Newhouse faced backlash from Republicans in his home state after backing Trump's impeachment.
Others continued to back him, including Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, who was Newhouse's guest at the Capitol when Trump addressed Congress in March.
The congressman was first elected in 2014 and voted alongside Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., the other remaining member of Congress who voted to impeach Trump.
In the Senate, only three GOP senators remain who voted to impeach Trump: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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