Analysis: The drip, drip, drip of Democratic retirements
The bigger issue for Democrats then is not keeping those seats on their side. It’s that a steady drumbeat of retirements from within their ranks — especially in the holiday period leading up to Thanksgiving and then Christmas — is not at all what they want as they try to hold onto their slim majorities in the House and Senate.
Congress is like high school. Everyone is looking around to see what everyone else is doing — and then adjusting their behavior accordingly.
That doesn’t mean that a Democratic member who has never considered retirement will see the likes of Leahy leaving and think now is the time to go.
But, for members who are undecided about whether or not to go for another term, retirements from within the Democratic ranks can impact their thinking. If it feels like a lot of people are deciding to walk away, there is often a momentum effect that sweeps up on-the-fence members.
“The holiday season, from Thanksgiving through Christmas and into the new year, serves traditionally as a gut-check moment for lawmakers.
Which is why Democrats have to hope that tomorrow — or the rest of this week — doesn’t bring any more retirement announcements.
The Point: Politics is a copycat business — right down to the decision of when to retire. Democratic leaders need to make staying in Congress look as good as possible these next few weeks.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story wrongly described Rep. Jackie Speier’s congressional seat in one instance. Speier is a member of the House of Representatives.
