Rep. Garrett Graves (R-LA) has announced he will not run for reelection in 2024 after redistricting hindered the GOP’s hopes of retaining the seat, the Washington Examiner reported. Though given the choice, Graves said he has opted not to run in a different district because it’s “not fair” to his colleagues in the House.
As a dispute over the new district map made its way through the courts, Graves remained undecided about his future. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Louisiana must use its 2024 map that included two districts that were majority Black.
This translated to a likely new Democratic stronghold in the state. Fearing a loss and wishing not to disadvantage his party further, Graves decided to step down after his term is up.
“It is evident that a run in any temporary district will cause actual permanent damage to Louisiana’s great representation in Congress,” Graves said Friday in a statement. “Campaigning in any of these districts now is not fair to any of the Louisianians who will inevitably be tossed into yet another district next year,” he added.
The Deciding Factor
Graves saw the writing on the wall in January with the Supreme Court’s final decision on the map. His district shifted from a “likely Republican” stronghold to a “solid Democrat” area.
This gave Democrats an 8-point advantage in the race for his seat. In May, Graves announced he was “looking through these districts to determine where we can best represent the interests and priorities of the people of Louisiana for the next two years until a reasonable map is restored.”
The other option would have been to challenge Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) who absorbed Graves’ voter base in her 5th Congressional District. As a five-term congressman, Graves would likely have been able to knock her out.
Having to do that to a colleague was enough for Graves to step away from the race altogether. While he graciously bowed out, Graves acknowledged that the Bayou State lost out its chance to lead a key committee.
“The consequences of redistricting will affect Louisiana’s first opportunity in history to chair the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Admittedly, it is a serious disappointment to miss the historic opportunity to champion Louisiana’s priorities in this committee,” Graves said.
Part of a Troubling Trend
Graves is one of dozens of Republican lawmakers to step down ahead of the 2024 election. While some believe Graves’ situation came from getting on the wrong side of the Louisiana Republicans, many see that the GOP has become increasingly polarized within the party, leading to these panic departures.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) pointed out that many Republicans are stunned that the majority party would act this way. “I thought that some of our members would be smarter,” Gimenez told CNN in April.
“A lot of us are frustrated with what’s going on, and that’s just being flat-out honest. It’s foolish,” Gimenez continued.
“And it’s been proven to be foolish. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Although it is disturbing to see such turmoil in the Republican Party, it doesn’t mean that the Democrats are faring any better. The chaos and insanity seem to be spreading throughout government, but the good news is one election could change that all.
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Author: Christine Favocci
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