Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., has announced he won’t run for re-election to a ninth term this fall.
Israel is leaving Congress to finish his second novel and said in a statement that he’s “looking forward to spending more time home and frequenting my beloved New York diners. Simply put, it’s time to pass on the torch.”
Newsday described Israel’s forthcoming book as a “a satire about the gun control lobby” he began writing on his cell phone before the 2014 midterm elections.
Israel served two terms as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Democrats hold a registration advantage in his district, but he was preceded in Congress by Republican Rick Lazio. The higher Democratic turnout in a presidential election year reportedly factored in his decision to retire now.
