Rep. Brenda Lawrence Becomes the 25th Democrat to Announce a House Exit

Rep. Brenda Lawrence’s (D-MI) retirement makes her the twenty-fifth Democrat to make plans to leave the House after the current term, thus putting more doubt on the House Democrats’ ability to keep the slimming majority after the midterm in less than a year.

Lawrence said her decision to retire was “personal” after being in public service for three decades, according to the Detroit News. The 67-year-old was also on the Public Schools Board of Education, Southfield City Council, and was Southfield’s mayor before becoming a member of Congress in 2015.

“I love the 30-year ride I’ve had — the challenges, the successes, the fighting for democracy. I have so much gratitude for the opportunity I’ve had,” Lawrence said. “But you have to really understand that this life, it’s not forever. And I will find a way to continue to serve, because that’s in my blood.”

“I’m healthy. I’m at the top of my game,” she continued. “I have the opportunity to turn the page and to be able to start another chapter in my life of leadership, and I’m looking forward to it.

However, Lawrence is only the latest Democrat to announce she would be leaving the House after the current time. While the number of Democrats leaving gets higher, it casts more doubt on the Democrats’ ability to keep the House or expand their slimming majority.

This is happening as the midterms are getting closer, along with the deadlines to file for candidacy in many states. There have also been reports of Democrats struggling to find new candidates to run in some congressional districts. In contrast, some members have to run in completely different districts with only a few constituents.

Lawrence becomes the twenty-fifth Democrat to announce she will not seek reelection in the House. Still, she is only the seventeenth Democrat to announce actual retirement from the public eye — including three committee chairs and multiple sub-committee chairs — while eight more Democrats announced they would run for a different office, either in a local or state election.

There have also been rumors of more Democrats abandoning ship in the coming weeks and months leading up to the midterms, as more redistricting maps are accepted and deadlines to file for reelection are getting closer.

“Democrats hoped to hit the brakes on their retirement crisis, but instead they’ve thrown it into overdrive,” said Congressional Leadership Fund Communications Director Calvin Moore. “Democrats can’t quit Congress fast enough because they know they’re about to get voted out of their Majority.”

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter.