Rep. Peter T. King, a 14-term Republican congressman from New York, announces retirement

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post



Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a 14-term congressman and former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said he is retiring, becoming the 20th House Republican to announce that he will not seek reelection next year.

In a statement, King, 75, said he made the decision after “much discussion” with his wife and children. “The prime reason for my decision was that after 28 years of spending 4 days a week in Washington, D.C., it is time to end the weekly commute and be home in Seaford,” King said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision.”

King represents a South Shore Long Island district that includes parts of Nassau County and Suffolk County. He won reelection in 2018 with 53 percent of the vote over Democrat Liuba Grechen Shirley. “Politically I will miss the energy and dynamism of a re-election campaign especially since my polling numbers are as strong as they have ever been and I have more than $1 million in campaign funds,” King said in his statement.

King joins a growing number of Republican members of Congress who have announced retirements, resigned or said they will seek another office next year. Prior to his announcement, 19 House Republicans had said they would not seek reelection, according to a tally by the House Press Gallery. By comparison, eight Democrats have announced they will not seek reelection.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/rep-peter-t-king-a-14-term-republican-congressman-from-new-york-announces-retirement/2019/11/11/3ff85d7e-0474-11ea-8292-c46ee8cb3dce_story.html

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Diving off the sinking ship!

Original article -

November 11, 2019 at 6:24 a.m. EST

King, a former chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, becomes the 20th House Republican to announce that he won't seek reelection next year.

"The prime reason for my decision was that after 28 years of spending 4 days a week in Washington, D.C., it is time to end the weekly commute and be home in Seaford," King said in a statement. "This was not an easy decision."

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2019/11/11/rep-peter-t-king-a-14-term-republican-congressman-from-new-york-announces-retirement/

[hlthe2b]

1. Someone have the R total now (not running)?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Per this

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/retirement-congress-2020-hurd-alexander/596965/

plus now including King, it's up to 18 in the House and 4 in the Senate, so 22 so far.

EDIT - per the WaPo update, apparently there was another before him that made it 19, so he was #20 from the House. So the total would be 24 (20 House, 4 Senate).

[riversedge]

44. Thanks

[BadGimp]

65. Thanks!

[Throck]

2. Does AOC have a sister?

Another seat in NYC for the taking.

[Danmel]

16. Southeastern Nassau county

Very Republican district. A number of candidates have expressed interest (there were murmurs locally that sweet old Pete might hang em up), including an African American woman veteran. Should be interesting. Pete king is a nasty man, an ass kisser and I won't miss him one bit. Chaired Homeland security but ok with selling our country to Putin. Bye bye Pete. fingers crossed for a Democrat.

[BlueMTexpat]

24. I'm keeping my fingers

crossed as well!

But at least this particular piece of scum will be gone.

[NewJeffCT]

27. He only won with 53% of the vote last time around

but, prior to 2018, he won by very big margins each time out - over 25% each time

So, the district was trending to pink and he likely faced a tough race to win because Trump is so unpopular in NY

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. Ah, the real reason

[kiri]

55. compare Steve King of Iowa

The other Steve King is from Iowa. https://steveking.house.gov/
He is a total idiot and flaming racist.

Steve King of NY was in comparison somewhat sane. He actually criticized trump and understood our planet is round.

[LeftInTX]

67. I wonder if a moderate will step up

Would that area elect an AA? (Not familiar as NYC area is vast)

Looks like it was represented by Democrat Steve Israel, then he and Israel switched districts in 2013...
Both were re-elected.

I assume Steve Israel was a moderate and Jewish.

[Danmel]

69. It wasn't a one for one swap.

I live in what was CD 2 which became CD 3, but was never in Pete King's district. When I moved out here, it was still Rick Lazio's seat. He famously ran against Hillary Clinton for Senate and got in trouble for stalking her at a debate, something which seemed to help the current occupant of the white house.
The district is currently represented by Tom Suozzi, who is a member of the "problem solvers," although he did support impeachment.
Steve Israel was very liberal on social issues but moderate on defense. He started as a "center aisle " guy, but came to his senses and became much more openly critical of Bush as his term went on. Suozzi is being primaried from the left, but it is a pretty moderate district. I dont think it is a good idea even though I wish Suozzi was less centrist than he is.

King's district is more conservative than Suozzi's. An AOC type Democrat would be crushed in my opinion, but the ideological purists might undermine the chance of picking up that seat.
Same is true for Zeldin's seat. A very blue collar, Republican district with Hamptons money .
Last time around, we nominated a Goldman Sachs guy when we should have nominated the northern Ireland immigrant who became a school bus driver, union leader and 6 term county legislator who won by 20 points each time, despite being g a woman and a Democrat.
Long Island is not NYC. We need to be smart and strategic to win. We cant be perfectly pure.

[LeftInTX]

71. I just saw a Facebook ad for Jackie Gordon

Last edited Tue Nov 12, 2019, 02:36 AM - Edit history (1)

And I'm in Texas.

[rpannier]

3. spending 4 days a week

Poor baby
Most people work five days a week
And his four days really only comes to three and a half

[Scarsdale]

9. Plus health insurance

and a pension that increases yearly along with their raises!! Someone must have told him to defend tRump, or get the hell out of Dodge.

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. My son works 7 days a week. Prep cook at a major chain restaurant.

Just to make it with a few $$ left to save. No "Cadillac" health insurance either.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

38. Plus all the recesses

[Timmygoat]

4. If I remember correctly

Wasn't he the one who raised funds for the IRA, to bomb innocent children and families in the IRA fight with the UK?

[Danmel]

17. Yup. The he chaired Homeland Security

[mwooldri]

23. Therefore I am happy to see him retire.

Sorry but why should he be interfering with either Irish or British politics? He's an American. If he really wanted to get involved with the troubles he should have moved there. It's a lot better since the Good Friday agreement but there's a long way to go and Brexit of all things isn't helping.

My dad had his share of pulling people out of rubble of bombed buildings in the UK mainland (fire service). Sorry but I'm not on the side of the IRA. Or the UVF or other Northern Irish paramilitary organisation.

[IronLionZion]

43. He has a multi-decade unapologetic history of supporting terror

and with no sense of irony he later tried so desperately to throw Muslim Americans under the bus. Dude has blood relatives who were active IRA members and he has long used his IRA support to pander for Irish-American votes. He was investigated by the Secret Service as a security threat and judges have thrown him out of court in IRA murder trials as he is clearly a collaborator.

For Lawmaker Examining Terror, a Pro-I.R.A. Past
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/us/politics/09king.html

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Developing employment boom for political psychologists

but we know the shrinks will be the ones investigated and institutionalized. the patients will run wild

[MartyTheGreek]

6. Yeah, former SOTH Paul Ryan said something like that about three years ago...

Now he's moving back to hang around K Street.

Russia, if you're listening, will you please play the Paul Ryan tape where he mentions who gets paid by whom and something about keeping this knowledge in the family.

[Botany]

7. In 2004 prior to the election this was Peter King

[47of74]

8. Now only if that other fuck named King would retire from Congress

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Oh HELL yeah

THAT is the one whose ass needs to go!

[Brainfodder]

56. Another media talking points guy gone?

[47of74]

61. He makes all us Iowans look bad.

Like we’re a bunch of racist inbred hillbillies that only have sex with farm animals and/or close relatives

[Raster]

12. "we won... it's all over but the counting, we'll do the counting."

Good riddance, motherfucker.

[Deb]

13. Hot Diggity! That's the canary.

[Scarsdale]

14. All the gop traitors will

support tRump, retire then tell all in their books. Too little, too late. Don't tell me it is because they developed a conscience, not the gop. Rather than "man up" and expose the travesty in the WH, they march in lockstep with Moscow Mitch and support their total failure of a candidate. The gop OWNS the disaster of a presidency and all the destruction he has caused both here and worldwide.

[Martin Eden]

15. Good riddance!

Will the Rethugs nominate someone even worse to take his place?

With Trumpism taking over the damned soul of the Republican Party, my bet is they will double down on deplorable in the primaries even regardless of electoral results next November.

In a sane world, that would spell their demise.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. He barely won re-election this last time.

I think if there is a big enough push, the Democrat who ran against him the last election, might be able to squeak one out (he won by 53%).

He seemed to be more of the old-school annoying "moderate" Republican type. I remember him actually calling out his own when they were refusing to fund Hurricane Sandy victims. His Faux Snooze interview from that time was instructive - including how he pretty much talked about his own party as if in 3rd person, where he disembodied himself from them!

[LeftInTX]

66. He's a Neocon

[Demsrule86]

26. A Trumper won't win King's seat. We can take the seat if we pick a moderate...maybe a veteran...

with a cute family blessed with a number of toothy smiling kids.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

39. Fiscal conservative, social liberal

[Demsrule86]

58. That is who can win alright.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

70. Are you in his district ?

I want to ask NYers - Did you see this coming ? Did he drop any clues that he was even thinking of stepping down ? I hadn't read anything about him deciding not to seek re-election. He always seemed to me to be one of the lifers.

Anybody ?

[LeftInTX]

72. Post #16 upthread is from the area

When a local announced he was getting out (Wil Hurd), we were surprised. He didn't hint b4 hand)

Hurd won in 2018 by 900 votes. Peter King won with a healthier margin.

I do feel that the impeachment stuff was a reason Hurd decided not to run. He knew a vote against it would hurt his re-election. If he voted for impeachment, the Tea Party would have primaried him.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

78. Hmm...Hurds district and all along the Texas border

Is blue though, right. You are saying he'd have a rough time even winning the repuke nomination?

[LeftInTX]

79. Yes

The seat was once held by a rabid Tea Partier. The Tea Party kept moaning that Hurd was a liberal.
Currently a Tea Partier is running for the spot

It was held by the same repuke for over 20 years. (Bonilla) It was only blue for 3 termrs. 2006-2010 and 2012-14.

[Danmel]

74. He was signaling a bit.

His daughter moved to North Carolina and he said he wanted to spend time there with her family. There is conjecture that she might seek office there.

[llmart]

19. Ah, the old "retiring to spend more time with my family" meme.

Good riddance to another old, privileged white male.

[CentralMass]

20. My condolences to his wife, kids, and neighbors who will have to see him more.

[AZ8theist]

35. Not to mention..

His (soon to be) former constituents..

[nitpicker]

21. What will happen to all those campaign funds?

Maybe get traded for favors?

[lastlib]

33. Putin might want 'em back.

I wouldn't go spending 'em, Pete--unless you like heavy metals in your tea ......

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. Good question. Beto''s too. (Senate I hope)

[bucolic_frolic]

22. All GOP exit as cowards silent to treason and unable to defend the traitors

None want to run and lose an election. Shameless political cowards. With lifetime pensions and health care that would make us all drool.

[beachbumbob]

28. Its a possible democratic pickup with right candidate who can grab the republican surburban vote

who all are disgusted with trump and the GOP path they have followed with him

[Vinca]

29. One of the larger rats to go overboard. Buh-bye.

[Pacifist Patriot]

30. My birthday keeps getting better and better...

Can we get a presidential aneurysm by the end of the day, please?

[BumRushDaShow]

31. Happy Birthday!

[LittleGirl]

32. We really need to

Have age limits put on Congress members.

Before anyone alerts me, I just turned 60. I want our younger citizens to lead, not these old white men!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. And old white women?

[LittleGirl]

49. Well, if they are under forced retirement age

No.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

52. Agree. But applied to all people regardless of gender,

race, etc. It's hard not to notice what I would call a general weariness even from our most noble Democratic advocates. Of course, there are exceptions...It would be good if there was a society of sorts with retired members who could be consulted on various issues.

[LittleGirl]

54. Yes, yes

I was taught to respect our elders because they were wiser, but our Congress is a mess.
A whole lily white mess in the GOP and they don’t see it.

We need many more AOCs in this world. She sets a perfect example of what our future could be.

[DFW]

34. So, Rep. "We'll take care of the counting" is retiring

His party has indeed been taking care of the counting since 2002.

I wish "taking care of the counting" would retire with Rep. King, but that's a pipe dream. If they had their way, they would take care of the vote counting in every election held in our country. I wish every vote counter, election machine programmer and judge that blessed their "right to privacy" would get retired as well--namely to the country club prisons they all deserve for giving us Cheneybush's second term, Republican "surprise upset victories" in Senate and House races since 2002, and Trump.

[lark]

36. Repugs continue to drop like flies.

This is a good one, maybe Dems can replace him, one more vote for Pelosi and sanity.

[Suburban Warrior]

42. Liuba Grechen Shirley...

...ran against him last time and did well. She should run for the seat again. She's a good candidate and ran a great campaign.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. Agree

I think his squeaker win was due to his long-time incumbency and relatively "moderate" stance.... But with the field open now and maybe some enhanced (D) turnout, hopefully that seat can be a pickup.

[malthaussen]

46. A great day for democracy and decency.

Good riddance to garbage.

-- Mal

[MissMillie]

47. I saw this on CBS news this morning

and they described King as a "moderate."

Which makes me wonder.... does anyone know what "moderate" means anymore?

[Zambero]

51. Not being Steve King or Louie Gohmert?

I suppose that borderline sanity fits the bill these days.

[DinahMoeHum]

48. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

By the way, his Democratic opponent in 2018, Liuba Gretchen Shirley, has never stopped running, and she's gunning for another shot at this seat.

www.liubaforcongress.com

[BlueIdaho]

50. Another one bites the dust.

Republican polling must look pretty grim these days...

[bluestarone]

53. All these bastards from the House are leaving! I want

The Senate to fold up like the House is doing now!! PLEASE PLEASE I want the rethug senators GONE!

[WhiteTara]

57. Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Good riddance to the vile creature known as Peter King.

[Thekaspervote]

59. This!

[Hekate]

60. Rats: meet lifeboat

[joost5]

62. The possible connection between Parnas/Fruman and the Peter King resignation (and a whole lot more)

So there's this:

Jim White at Emptywheel, with big assists from three commenters (FoggyCoast, Fluffytung, and Kate) has put together an amazing story connecting the cast of characters in the Ukraine extortion scheme to the resignation of Peter King. In the process, several more characters seem to be entangled in the scandal.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/11/11/1898636/-The-connection-between-Parnas-Fruman-and-the-Peter-King-resignation?utm_campaign=trending

Link to tweet

There is a strong connection of Guliani dirty dealings and contributions to King.

[LudwigPastorius]

63. ...

[dmr]

64. Good! He's a mean SOB

He sent me a nasty responding letter when I lived on Long Island. If I remember correctly, he called me stupid, lol.

[Danmel]

75. He is very rude to his constituents

Refused to hold town halls, insulted people.

[onetexan]

68. Altogether now: GOOD RIDDANCE!!!

(doing my italian hand/chin flick )

[VarryOn]

73. No 75 year old should be in Congress...

Especially after 28 years. Republicans like these old fuckers. Good riddance!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

76. Pelosi is 79

[The Polack MSgt]

77. "He is looking forward to spending more time with his family" is Republican speak

For Wants to have time to spend the cash he made with his career grift.

Hoping for you to have distended hemorrhoids and cayenne pepper on yer toilet paper for the rest of yer life.

Fuck you forever. Ya shit bag