Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) said he has decided to retire from Congress “in the coming weeks,” NBC News reports.
Dent had previously announced that he would not seek re-election this year.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“I can’t, for the life of me, understand why the president is so reluctant to push back much harder on the Russians.”
— Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), in an interview on CNN.
Lawmaker Says Trump Was Factor In Decision to Retire
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) told CNN that President Trump was “a factor” in his decision not to seek reelection.
Said Dent: “Well, at least in my case, I would say the president was a factor, but not the factor for me deciding to leave.”
He added that “a very challenging midterm environment” was also a factor in his decision.
Dent May Leave Office Early
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), “who has already said he will not seek re-election next year, confirmed he has had conversations with TV news executives about becoming an analyst, raising the possibility that he would leave his seat early and create yet another special election for his party,” the New York Times reports.
Said Dent: “I have no definitive plans.”
Dent Still Won’t Back Obamacare Repeal
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), leader of the centrist Tuesday Group, told the Washington Examiner that he still opposes the House Republican healthcare repeal bill, saying that a proposed compromise does not address his key concerns.
Said Dent: “Based on what I’ve read, it does not change my position. I was a no, and I remain a no.”
Time for a Bipartisan Speaker?
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) said that Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) withdrew from the Speaker’s race “because although he could have won a majority of the Republican Conference, he would not have had 218 votes on the House floor,” the Washington Post reports.
Dent also said it might be necessary to form a “bipartisan coalition” with Democrats to elect the next speaker and avoid having to appease the “rejectionist wing” of his own party, which he said has made the House ungovernable by insisting on “unreasonable demands.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“The next speaker is going to have a very tough job. The fundamental dynamics don’t change.”
— Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), quoted by the New York Times, on Speaker John Boehner’s resignation.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“Week one, we had a Speaker election that didn’t go as well as a lot of us would have liked. Week two, we spent a lot of time talking about deporting children, a conversation a lot of us didn’t want to have. Week three, we’re debating reportable rape and incest — again, not an issue a lot of us wanted to have a conversation about. I just can’t wait for week four.”
— Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), quoted by TPM, on the priorities of House Republicans.
Quote of the Day
“The third time is not a charm. And as much respect and admiration as I have for Governor Romney I’m not one of those who is encouraging him to enter the race right now. Again, I just don’t think there’s much to be gained by a third kick here. I don’t think it’ll work out for him.”
— Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), quoted by TPM.
