WASHINGTON ― Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, a 12-term Republican from New Jersey and chairman of the most sought-after committee in Congress ― the Appropriations Committee ― announced Monday that he would not run for re-election.
Frelinghuysen’s announcement was a bit of surprise, considering he could still serve as the top Republican on the powerful Appropriations Committee for another four years under House GOP rules. But faced with the prospect of a tough race ― Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump in that district by only 1 point in 2016 ― as well as internal discussions about removing Frelinghuysen as chairman after he voted against the party’s tax bill, the 71-year-old GOP moderate decided to call it quits.
Keep quitting guys. You certainly don’t want to be associated with Trump’s next two years in office.