NY Democrat Rice retires ahead of midterms

FPI / February 16, 2022

New York Rep. Kathleen Rice on Tuesday announced she will not run for re-election in November's midterms.

Rice is the 30th Democrat who plans on leaving the House after this year.

“Thirty House Democrats have called it quits because they know their majority is doomed,” said Mike Berg, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Republicans need a net gain of five seats in November to reclaim the majority the GOP lost in 2018.

Last month, longtime Tennessee Democrat Rep. Jim Cooper announced that he’ll retire at the end of his current term.

Camille Gallo, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told Fox News after Cooper's retirement that the "Democrats’ retirement crisis shows no signs of slowing down."

"No one wants to run on Democrats’ radical agenda of violent crime, open borders, and skyrocketing prices," Gallo said.

Rice was first elected to her Long Island district in 2014. She won re-election by about 13 points in 2020.

Rice said in a statement: “Though I will not be running for re-election to Congress this year, I will remain focused on protecting our democracy and serving my constituents throughout the rest of my term. As I turn to the next chapter of my own personal and professional story, I do so with profound thanks to the community leaders, colleagues and staff who have lived our shared commitment to service with courage and humility.”

Free Press International