Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-La., announced he will not seek re-election this year.
"I am officially announcing my retirement from Congress following the completion of my current third term, and I will not seek re-election in 2020," he said in a statement posted Wednesday on his Twitter account.
"When I announced my candidacy for this seat six years ago, I did so with the strongest of convictions. Our national defense had been weakened, our constitutional rights were being challenged, and our economy was in the tank.
"Today, our national economy is strong, and unemployment is the lowest it's been in decades. Our military is stronger now than it’s been in decades and consumer confidence is on the rise."
Abraham recalled a recent conversation he had with President Donald Trump.
"This past January, as I traveled on Air Force One to the National Championship game with President Trump, I was humbled when he asked that I consider staying in Congress for another term."
Though he stands by his decision to retire, Abraham said he looks forward to continuing his support for the president.
TPM noted Abraham is the 26th House Republican to retire ahead of the 2020 elections. It said only five Democrats have decided to do so.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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