Rep. Dave Trott (R-Mich.) announced Monday that he will not seek reelection next year, opening up another potential pickup opportunity for Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections.
Trott will leave the House after only two terms, citing a desire to spend more time with family.
“Our country’s Founding Fathers envisioned a government where citizens leave private life, serve for a brief time, and then return home to their communities,” Trott said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but after careful consideration, I have decided that the best course for me is to spend more time with my family and return to the private sector.”
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Trott is the third House Republican in a competitive district in the last several days to announce his retirement.
Cook Political Report moved Trott’s seat from “likely Republican” to “toss-up” in its campaign ratings following the announcement, suggesting that the seat is now seen as more competitive for Democrats.
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Breaking: GOP Rep. Dave Trott announces retirement in #MI11. Moves race from Likely Republican to Toss Up in @CookPolitical ratings.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) September 11, 2017
“We will not let his hard work go to waste, and are confident this seat will remain under Republican control,” Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), meanwhile, cited Trott’s vote for the House GOP bill to partially repeal and replace ObamaCare as evidence that he would have faced a tough reelection.
“The only thing that Congressman Dave Trott has to show for himself this Congress is his vote to rip away healthcare and increase costs for thousands of his constituents, and his retirement is a tell-tale sign that running for re-election in Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanBush, Romney won’t support Trump reelection: NYT Twitter joins Democrats to boost mail-in voting — here’s why Lobbying world MORE’s do-nothing Congress would have been an uphill climb not worth the effort,” DCCC spokeswoman Rachel Irwin said.
Centrist GOP Reps. Charlie Dent (Pa.) and Dave ReichertDavid (Dave) George ReichertMail ballot surge places Postal Service under spotlight Bottom Line The most expensive congressional races of the last decade MORE (Wash.) both announced last week that they would not seek reelection, opening up districts that were expected to be tougher for Democrats to flip given their status as strong longtime incumbents.
Reichert is one of 23 House Republicans representing a district won by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE in 2016. Dent’s district, meanwhile, was won by former President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaHarris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Five ways America would take a hard left under Joe Biden Valerie Jarrett: ‘Democracy depends upon having law enforcement’ MORE in 2008.
President Trump won Trott’s southeast Michigan district by only 4 points last year, suggesting competitive terrain for a midterm election expected to be more favorable to Democrats.
The University of Virginia’s political handicapping team, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, said it is changing its rating of the district from “likely Republican” to a “toss-up” following Trott’s retirement.
Lawmakers intending to retire often make their plans public following the annual August recess and at the end of the year, meaning there could be more announcements in the days to come.