Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi announced Thursday that he plans to resign from Congress by the end of January to take a job as head of the Ohio Business Roundtable.
The Ohio congressman is the latest pragmatic conservative to call it quits ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. He and other congressional Republicans have been frustrated by party infighting with President Trump’s White House and the slow pace of legislative action on GOP-dominated Capitol Hill.
“While I have not yet determined a final resignation date, I will be leaving Congress by Jan. 31, 2018. I have been presented with an opportunity to lead the Ohio Business Roundtable that will allow me to continue to work on public policy issues impacting Ohioans while also spending more time with my family. Leaving Congress is not a decision I take lightly, but after a lot of consideration, it is the best one for me, my wife, Denice, and our four wonderful daughters,” Tiberi said in a statement issued by his office.
While Tiberi’s decision not to run for re-election isn’t surprising, his planned early resignation caught House Republicans off guard, even some of those close to him, sources tell the Washington Examiner. Tiberi was passed over for House Ways and Means chairman when House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., moved up. Tiberi briefly considered a 2018 Senate bid, but concluded that winning the nomination might be too difficult.
Democrats are not expected to contest the Columbus-area seat, once held by Republican Gov. John Kasich. Tiberi has amassed more than $6 million in his campaign account, a whopping amount for a House member. House Republican leaders could ask Tiberi to donate a sizable portion of that to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the party’s House campaign arm, but there is nothing compelling him to do so.
The congressman could also hold onto the cash for a future bid for higher office.
