Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., announced Thursday he will not seek re-election in 2018, joining more than a dozen GOP House members retiring from office. Goodlatte currently chairs the powerful House Judiciary Committee, known for strong positions on immigration. He has represented the Virginia’s 6th Congressional District since 1993 — a district often considered safe for the Republican Party.
“Every two years, Maryellen (his wife) and I sat down to discuss whether to run again or not. When we discussed the 2018 election, the conversation ended a little differently than in past years,” he said in a statement.
“After much contemplation and prayer, we decided it was the right time for me to step aside and let someone else serve the Sixth District. I will not seek re-election. With my time as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee ending in December 2018, this is a natural stepping-off point and an opportunity to begin a new chapter of my career and spend more time with my family, particularly my granddaughters.”
Goodlatte endorsed President Trump in May 2016, and FiveThirtyEight shows he votes in line with Trump more than 90 percent of the time. Trump also won Goodlatte’s district in the 2016 election by a 24-point margin — the district hasn’t voted for a Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
However in a statement, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers made no mention of holding the district.
“Bob Goodlatte has been an integral member of Congress since he was first elected. From his Chairmanship of the House Committee on the Judiciary, to his work on Agriculture, he has been a dedicated representative to Virginia’s 6th District and to the rest of the country,” said Stivers. “I applaud his dedication to fighting for our Constitutional freedoms, his work on immigration and criminal justice reform, and his unwavering desire to lower our health care costs. I wish him and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
No Republicans had yet said they would challenge Goodlatte in 2018, but two Democrats have announced their candidacy: Sergio Coppola and Peter Volosin.
Earlier this week, Democrats won big in Virginia — notably Ralph Northam who defeated Republican Ed Gillespie in the gubernatorial election. Gillespie did however win Goodlatte’s district by 22 points.
