Why are all of these Republicans retiring or not seeking re-election?

[SummerSnow]

What are they afraid of? It's weird to me cause if your 'party' is in power why leave?

[AmericanActivist]

1. Curiouser and curiouser eh nm

[IADEMO2004]

2. They smell a gas leak and want to avoid the boom.

[Botany]

3. They know the shit is gonna hit the fan w/the Republican/Trump/Russia/Treason connections

and that it will be earth shattering.

[dawg day]

4. To make it easier for the next GOP to win

I was just thinking "YAY!" when I saw Issa is retiring. Then I thought that could be unfortunate. Better for him to have to run and have his whole tawdry history and Trump connection to answer for.

Instead, the GOP will now be able to bring in some new bland guy who looks and sounds like Pence, and (like Pence) smilingly promise stuff while all along planning to do whatever Trump tells him.

I think that's what they're doing. The GOP is pressuring those who could be beaten to retire so they can have more of a clean guy to run instead. It makes it harder for the Dem candidate to run against them.

[burnbaby]

9. I was thinking the same

fresh blood

[BumRushDaShow]

22. I don't think that is going to work this go-around

mainly because they would have to spend more $$$$ marketing their "replacement" person and Democrats are more fired up - especially for Issa's seat.

They were able to do that to us in 2010 when they blew us away because -

(1) Citizen's United
(2) they were motivated
(3) "we" (proverbial) were running away from Obama and the ACA
(4) they got busy gerrymandering seats in states nationwide.

Democrats are finally challenging the gerrymandering and really, all we need is a 24 seat pickup to retake the House.

[GoCubsGo]

25. Yep, and they have probably decided that the campaign grind is no longer worth it.

Especially since they will likely lose. Let somebody else raise money and go out and campaign instead--and probably get slaughtered at the ballot box. They got their huge tax cuts. They want to enjoy them while they can.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. They may have to hold onto that $$$$ to funnel to the state races

'cause WE are coming for them at the state, county, and local levels (FINALLY)!!!!!

They like "states rights" so much that they are going to want to regroup to maintain their stranglehold on the states.

[brush]

31. A new repug will still be tainted. A blue wave is coming and they don't want to get drowned...

not to mention the coming repug comeuppance (I suspect many took dirty money).

Chaffetz say it early and got out, but they can all be uncovered by Mueller's digging.

[Siwsan]

5. Fear of being in the minority party? Fear their ties to Russian money might come out?

Avoiding the trauma of losing? They are cowards?

So, lots of possible reasons.

[OliverQ]

6. They see a blue wave coming, and they're not in safe districts so they

know it's a waste of time and money to try and win a race they're almost guaranteed to lose.

[JI7]

7. In darrell issas case he is likely to lose

The area had turned more democratic and people will remember the bs he did.

[HAB911]

8. I don't know but it's making me

jittery

[unblock]

10. this is common when veterans sense that their party is going to lose control.

long-time congress people chairing committees and wielding a lot of power really hate it when their party loses control of the chamber and they go from being a big shot to being an ignored minority power.

if they're young enough they can stick it out and try to regain control down the road, but the older ones in particular find it a good time to retire and cash out.

[strangedaysindeed]

11. MAYBE

it's because they know another collapse is coming, and they want to be out of the sphere of blame.

[Orange Free State]

12. In the case of some

Like the two in Cali, writing is on the wall and if they quit now they get to keep the campaign war chest.

[YessirAtsaFact]

13. They have accepted that they lose the house in 2018

And don’t want to be in office when there is a serious investigation of Russia’s influence on the American political process.

It’s better to be retired when that crap hits the fan, especially if you were complicit in the corruption of the US electoral process by a hostile power.

[Xolodno]

14. Their Resume....

When applying for a position in a Lobbying firm, corporate lobby department, "think tank", etc.

What sounds better?

1. After X years of public service I decided to retire to pursue...

2. The voters kicked my ass to the curb so now I'm asking you to return a favor.

[ProudLib72]

15. I heard they are being driven out by father Martin chanting

"The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you."

And there may be some holy water involved.

[MFM008]

16. Lol

[BumRushDaShow]

23. !!!!!!!!!!!!

[bronxiteforever]

33. You win DU today!

[ProudLib72]

40. So much winning

I'm beginning to feel like tRump!

[strangedaysindeed]

17. They also know

that they're attempts at raising Reagan from the dead are failing

[lapfog_1]

18. They robbed the bank on the way out of town

This entire cycle (since the election of Trump and the rise of "Trumpism&quot , the republicans (non-crazy ones) know that their positions on almost everything are unpopular and that the minority of voters that they rely on to get elected is growing smaller and smaller.

I think that once the election was over and the Trump misadministration took power... the obvious Russian conspiracy... the total unfitness of the person they somehow got elected to be President, many of them realized that the public would hold them accountable for this disaster. Add to that the likely challenge from the Trumpanzee nut-job wing of the Republican party (Roy Moore types) and they all decided a while back to rob the bank ($4 Trillion or more with the Tax Cut for billionaires) and pass as much crap as they can (watch out Medicate, Social Security, any and all safety net programs), hope Trump doesn't press the nuke button and get out of Dodge and into those "bank robber reward jobs" waiting for them with the Bankster class.

Oh, and SOME of them (maybe a lot) know that climate disasters are going to start soaking up a *lot* of the federal budget from now on and know they will be blamed for sticking their collecting heads in the sand on this PLUS getting elected a asshole who thinks this is all a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese because he listens to Alex Jones and Faux News FFS.

Pass the tax cut - check
private sector "jobs" waiting - check
Far right loonies taking over the party - check
unpopular idiot in the white house that YOU help get elected - check
cripple or kill the ACA - check
year left to try to kill SS and Medicate - check
time to bail out - CHECK!!!

[dalton99a]

37. +1

[L. Coyote]

19. Because there are no locks on the door.

Trumpism may have turned DC into an insane asylum, but there are no locks.

[EllieBC]

20. Afraid of being primaried?

Trump's base and the standard GOP base don't always overlap. If you're a republican who isn't rah-rah Trump you might get primaried.

[eleny]

21. .

[Snotcicles]

24. Because they know exactly what damage their recent action are about to do to the country. nt

[Freethinker65]

26. Get while getting is good

[no_hypocrisy]

27. A healthy, valid fear of blackmail.

[FM123]

28. Maybe they are dirty too and fear the skeletons about to come out???

[tblue37]

29. They fear a blue wave, so having delivered tax cuts to their donors, they want to

grab their reward as lobbyists or right wing welfare charity appointments before it's too late.

[sfwriter]

30. I wonder how many sex related scandals are in the wings...

...better to quit before they break and become less of a target.

I wonder what the Russians may be blackmailing them with...
...better to quit and hope the Russians go away when you are less of a target.

I wonder what big blue wave may be apparent in polling...
...better to quit while you are a winner.

I wonder how much dirty Russia money they my have taken...
...better to quit before that comes out in the Mueller investigation.

I wonder if they want to jump clear of the GOP implosion...
...FUCK YOU, it won't save you!

[CountAllVotes]

32. Why?

Run baby run before the crimes committed catch up sigh you.

Buh bye losers -- more to follow soon so don't feel alone!

[bearsfootball516]

35. It's not uncommon for this to happen when the president is unpopular

There was a rash of Democrats that retired in 2009-2010 when President Obama wasn't super popular, because they saw a red wave coming in midterms. Same thing is happening now. Politicians in swing districts see a blue wave forming and instead of pouring a bunch of time and money into a campaign they know they won't win, it's easier for them to just not seek re-election.

[Takket]

36. They would rather quit than dare

Stand up to the deplorables and the president they know is a traitor. COWARDS!!!

[Initech]

38. I tell you - it's because they're all guilty of this whole Russia thing!

That's why they are jumping ship - they are all compromised and they're about to go down like the Titanic.

[Irish_Dem]

39. I believe back room deals are being cut as we speak.

And there most likely will be more resignations.

As I predicted a couple of weeks ago:

1. Some people will resign or not run again.
2. Some people will go to jail.
3. Some people will get off free to continue their criminal activity.