Republican New York Rep. John Katko will not run for re-election in 2022, he announced Friday.
Katko, who has represented a moderately blue district centered on Syracuse since 2015, was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump in January 2021, and one of 13 Republicans to support the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. His district is expected to become more heavily-Democratic after the state legislature completes redistricting.
“I have been blessed beyond belief with family, health, and the most loving and patient wife on earth,” Katko said in a statement. “That’s why, after 32 years of public service, I have decided not to seek re-election to Congress, so that I can enjoy my family and life in a fuller and more present way.”
“It is with profound gratitude for my colleagues, staff, supporters, team, and the people of New York’s 24th Congressional District that I am thrilled to begin this next and best chapter of my life alongside Robin and our family,” he continued.
Republican Rep. John Katko, who backed former President Trump’s impeachment a year ago, will not seek re-election. pic.twitter.com/vrfbtOobgL
— Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) January 14, 2022
Katko’s allies had expressed optimism that he could beat back primary challenges from a pair of first-time candidates, and maintain his hold on a seat that supported Joe Biden by nine points in 2020.
“He’s going to be a tough out in a primary,” Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon recently told Politico. “And he’s a harder out in a [sic] general.”
A former state and federal prosecutor, Katko is the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, where he has focused on border security issues. He is also a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, of the Republican Governance Caucus, formerly the Tuesday Group. (RELATED: House Republicans Unveil Bill To Finish Border Wall, Hire More Officers In Response To Biden’s ‘Destructive’ Policies)
Katko is the 39th member of the House of Representatives to decline to run for re-election ahead of 2022, and the 13th Republican. He is also the third Republican who voted to impeach Trump to retire, joining Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger and Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, and the fourth member of New York’s House delegation to retire.