Giving new heft to the phrase “do-nothing Congress,” a Democratic congressman resigned Tuesday, citing family concerns and the fact that nothing would get done in the rest of the term.
California Rep. Dennis Cardoza’s resignation will take effect at midnight on Wednesday, the Sacramento Bee reports. He had already announced he would not be running for another term.
“In light of the fact that nothing is going to happen for the rest of the year, and in light of the fact that (my wife) and I are facing increasing parenting challenges, this seemed the right time to make this move,” Cardoza told the Sacramento Bee in an interview Monday.
Cardoza and his wife are parents to three children; one is their biological daughter, the other two, a brother and sister, are adopted. The two adopted children “are now teenagers,” the Bee noted.
As a result of redistricting, Cardoza would have had to run against fellow Democratic Rep. Jim Costa, a longtime friend, in order to remain in Congress. Instead, he opted to retire.
Since he is resigning less than three months before the general election, there will be no special election to fill his seat. Rather, “[h]is office staff will remain, taking care of constituent services but steering clear of political advocacy,” according to the Bee.