Rep. Greg Walden, top Republican on powerful House panel, says he will retire

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post




The top Republican on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee will not seek reelection next year — another sign that GOP lawmakers are pessimistic about retaking the House majority in 2020.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) served as chairman of the Energy and Commerce panel from 2017 until Democrats reclaimed control of the House early this year. In that position he helped formulate the GOP’s ultimately ill-fated plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and worked closely on bipartisan efforts to address the national opioid crisis. An owner of radio stations, he has also shepherded telecommunications legislation through the House, including a bill this year to stop robocalls.

Walden is the 21st House Republican to retire, resign or seek another office since the 116th Congress convened in January. Seven Democrats have retired or resigned in that time. In a statement to supporters, Walden said he was confident he could win reelection and “that a path exists for Republicans to recapture a majority in the House, and that I could return for two more years as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.” “But I also know that for me, the time has come to pursue new challenges and opportunities,” he added, saying he would “close the public service chapter of my life” and not run for any other office.

Walden, 62, could have served as the committee’s top Republican through 2022 under party rules, but is opting instead to relinquish a chance to again wield one of Capitol Hill’s most powerful gavels — with jurisdiction ranging across most of American industry and a significant chunk of the federal government. Politico first reported his retirement announcement.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/rep-greg-walden-top-republican-on-powerful-house-panel-says-he-will-retire/2019/10/28/807f5278-f9a5-11e9-8906-ab6b60de9124_story.html

---

Original article and headline -

Oregon Republican Greg Walden joins GOP exodus from House as he announces his retirement

By Washington Post Staff
Oct. 28, 2019 at 1:24 p.m. EDT

Walden, an 11-term lawmaker and ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he was confident he would be reelected but said it was time to “pursue new challenges and opportunities.”

Walden becomes the 21st Republican to announce they are resigning, retiring or seeking another office as the GOP faces tough odds to reclaim the majority in 2020.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2019/10/28/oregon-republican-greg-walden-joins-gop-exodus-from-house-as-he-announces-his-retirement/

[Aaron Pereira]

1. Walden spent his career working for lobbyists.

Now he can go become one!

[cstanleytech]

8. "Now he can go become one!" Wasn't he essentially one already?

[Leghorn21]

2. Well well, one more chickenshit rep bites the dust, how sad

run away home, little coward

uck

[MattInMN]

3. Trump's future tweet...

Walden quit after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering, crying, and screaming all the way. He quit like a dog.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. There you go Oregon

Dems,now fill that seat with a Real Representative.

[marlakay]

12. Sorry not going to happen

I live there. Same lady is going to run again, Jamie is gay and married and its pretty conservative here except Ashland where most her fans are and some from Medford where I am.

They are talking about this area getting redistricted in a few years and maybe why he is retiring because I hear new districts will lean to left. But next election if kept the same will go to R’s.

[Wellstone ruled]

14. Oh my

forgot that district was on the Edge of Medford.

[pecosbob]

5. It ain't no fun when the rabbit got the gun

[keithbvadu2]

6. More openings for Matt Gaetz to work his way up.

More openings for Matt Gaetz to work his way up.

[Dawson Leery]

10. Walden was an apologist for the Bundy gang.

Walden is a piece of conservative s**t.

[paulkienitz]

7. Every time they lose one of the halfway reasonable ones, the remainder get more extreme

[moonscape]

9. Too bad it's a safe district for them :( n/t

[McKim]

11. This is No Longer an Easy District for Him

The people of southern and eastern Oregon have finally figured out that Rep. Walden is not serving their interests. There is heartbreaking rural poverty, unemployment, lack of government services in these areas. They have sent their children to the Wars on the Middle East and they have come back broken with little government help for their recovery. Greg Walden enthusiastically served the top 1% and the MIC in Washington for decades. Now it is time for those people to get some good government and elect a Democrat!!!!!

[0rganism]

13. good riddance to another asshat

been waiting for that shitstain to go away for years, it's awful that he's considered fairly mainstream for Rs now.

[Mc Mike]

15. So many retirements, reminiscent of '18. rec, nt