In a significant development, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the first woman to preside over the House Energy and Commerce Committee, declared on Thursday that she will not be seeking reelection. This announcement makes her the latest in a string of establishment Republicans who have publicly disclosed their intentions to step down from Congress.
McMorris Rodgers has had a distinguished career spanning two decades in the House, having first been elected to Congress in 2004 to represent Eastern Washington. Prior to her tenure as the Chairwoman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, she served in the House Republican Conference leadership as the conference chairwoman.
She is the third chair this Congress to announce their retirement, following in the footsteps of Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry of North Carolina and Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger of Texas.
Despite her impending retirement, McMorris Rodgers has pledged to continue leading the committee with dedication, focusing on “plowing the hard ground necessary to legislate on solutions to make people’s lives better.”