Being a Republican lawmaker in the age of Trump has been exhausting for many. And many have felt that it’s easier to just resign than to run for reelection.
In 2020, a total of 26 GOP congresspeople decided to retire. And so far, 5 GOP senators have announced that they will step down rather seeking reelection in 2022.
The latest of these is Missouri senator Roy Blunt. While Missouri has become an increasingly red state, Democrats can win their. Claire McCaskill held a senate seat from 2012 to 2018.
McCaskill, though, was quick to note that she would not be interested in running again. She tweeted this morning, “To all that are asking: thank you to the many who have said kind things. But I will never run for office again. Nope. Not gonna happen. Never. I am so happy I feel guilty sometimes.”
To all that are asking: thank you to the many who have said kind things. But I will never run for office again. Nope. Not gonna happen. Never. I am so happy I feel guilty sometimes. #RoyBluntRetiring
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 8, 2021
That doesn’t mean, though, that there aren’t other strong Democratic candidates. And that list starts with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. A rising star in the party, Lucas has made regular trips to Washington DC to meet with national figures. And he has been a fierce critic of Missouri’s other senator, Josh Hawley.
The Kansas City Mayor released a statement this morning that read, “I rise each day thinking about how I can best serve the people of Kansas City and Missouri, and I will consider over the next several weeks whether that is in a statewide position — something no African American has ever done. Today, I remain focused on leading our City through the COVID-19 pandemic and our economic recovery.”
Today, I remain focused on leading our City through the COVID-19 pandemic and our economic recovery.
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) March 8, 2021
Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey based politics and technology writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books and spending time at the shore with his family.
