Louisiana Republican Rep. Ralph Abraham announced Wednesday that he would not be seeking reelection for Congress, making him the latest member of the GOP to retire.
“When I announced my candidacy for this seat six years ago, I did so with the strongest of convictions. Our national defense had been weakened, our constitutional rights were being challenged, and our economy was in the tank. Simply put — Dianne and I both feared the direction our country was headed. Here at home, the people who live in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District are some of the finest citizens of this country, and we both felt that changes in Washington needed to happen,” Abraham said in a statement.
“That’s why we chose to stand up and work towards doing something about it. Our district is filled with honest, hard-working, kind, and sincere people. It is because of this, and because of you, that I sought public office for the first time in my life, when I asked for your support to serve as your Member of Congress,” Abraham continued.
Today, I am officially announcing my retirement from Congress following the completion of my current third term. I am forever grateful to the people of Louisiana for entrusting me with their representation in the US House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/qbsx3yJrTx
— Rep. Ralph Abraham (@RepAbraham) February 26, 2020
A large number of Republicans in Congress have decided they will not be seeking re-election in 2020, as the GOP is trying to take back control of the chamber. (RELATED: Here Are The Republicans In Congress Who Are Not Seeking Reelection In 2020)
There are now currently twenty-two GOP lawmakers in the 116th Congress that announced they would not seek re-election in 2020, according to a list put together by CNN.