Huge news ahead of next year’s midterms…
On Monday, longtime House Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) revealed he will not seek re-election, teeing up a competitive race in the Empire State.
Nadler, 78, a Manhattan liberal who has served in the House for more than three decades, told The New York Times in an interview published Monday evening that Democrats need fresh faces.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Nadler told the Times, adding a younger successor “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.”
“I have mixed feelings,” Nadler said in a statement to NewsNation’s Jackie Koppell. “Obviously, I’ve done this for a long time. I’ve done the work and feel I’ve done good work for the country. To stop doing it in a year and a half is going to be wrenching but on the other hand, I’ve been in public office for 50 years. It’s time to do something else, although I’ll continue to be engaged politically, obviously.”
Nadler reportedly shared his decision with the Times last week on the condition the news not be published until this week, when Congress is set to reconvene following its month-long recess. The Hill has reached out to Nadler’s office for further comment.
In his interview with the Times, Nadler suggested that other veteran Democrats should also eye the exits, without naming any specific individuals.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” said Nadler, who acknowledged that a younger member of Congress could “maybe do better” and “help us more.”
“I’m not saying we should change over the entire party,” he said. “But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism.”
Nadler’s retirement sets up a likely crowded race to succeed him in the deep-blue and ultra-wealthy district running through Manhattan. A source told the Times that Nadler planned to back a former aide, Micah Lasher, a New York State Assembly member, if he runs. Lasher declined to comment to the newspaper.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Monday praised Nadler, “a proud son of New York City,” as “a relentless fighter for justice, civil rights and liberties and the fundamental promise of equality for all.”
Nadler – who notably backed down as a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee in January – was set to face off against primary challenger 26-year-old Liam Elkind who launched his primary challenge against Nadler in July by highlighting the Democrat Party’s “geriatric problem” and “respectfully asking” his district’s incumbent to resign.
“The Democratic Party is dying. We’re losing votes, losing elections, losing our democracy, and the leaders who got us here are refusing to retire with devastating consequences,” said Elkind. “In the last five months, three House Democrats passed away, allowing Trump’s billionaire bill gutting healthcare and food stamps for millions of people to go through by one vote.”
He continued, “Today, I’m respectfully asking my congressman Jerry Nadler to consider retiring. I appreciate his 50 years in office, I grew up voting for him, but we need new leaders to meet this moment.”
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The self-important weasel’s announcement merits a “So what?” There is nothing good about the Dem party and it has been that way since the days of Andrew Jackson in 1829. The Party should be defined as a terrorist organization, banned and replaced y ANY group that will be “loyal opposition” to the GOP.