GOP Rep. Charlie Dent Announces He Won't Bother Completing His Term Before Retiring, Will Leave In May

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The Republican Party’s exodus from Congress continues as Pennsylvania Rep. Charlie Dent announced on Tuesday that he plans on leaving office in May. This is earlier than previously expected.

Dent is among the 43rd House GOP member to say they won’t be running for re-election — some have opted to retire, some have resigned, and some have left for the private sector or to run for a different political office.

The legislator announced his departure with the following statement:

“After discussions with my family and careful reflection, I have decided to leave Congress in the coming weeks. Serving the people of the 15th Congressional district has been a tremendous responsibility and the privilege of a lifetime, and I am honored by the trust that so many of my constituents placed in me to represent them in Washignton. Actively engaging in the legislative and political process presents challenges, and in so doing, I believe I have had a positive impact on people’s lives and made a difference in Congress.

I am especially proud of the work I have done to give voice to the sensible center in our country that is often overlooked or ignored. It is my intention to continue to aggressively advocate for responsible.governance and pragmatic solutions in the coming years.”

Dent enjoyed a reputation of being a “moderate” who could occasionally have bipartisan discussions with Democrats and criticize his own party, but his criticism of Trump — whose presidency he named as a “factor” in his decision to retire — falls flat when Dent won’t bother to use the remaining time he has in office to challenge the president.