Sayonara!
In an announcement on Friday (January 14), Representative John Katko (R-N.Y.) revealed he would not be seeking reelection in the November midterms.
The Congressman who was one of just ten Republicans to vote to impeach former President Trump would be ending his four-term stint as a Representative in November. The former federal prosecutor disclosed in a statement that he would not be bidding for another term in Congress, choosing instead to “enjoy my family and life in a fuller and more present way.”
Katko’s fourth term in Congress was mired by tremendous backlash from many GOP members after he voted to impeach Trump in last January, following the deadly Capitol riots, where extremists –– many of whom were supporters of Trump and believed the election was stolen –– stormed the capitol to prevent President Biden’s Electoral College victory being certified in Congress.
At the time, Katko also drew the choler of other conservatives who were upset with his vote to support the January 6 select committee investigating the Capitol riot, in addition to frustration that he backed the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill that required bipartisan support.
Following the announcement, Trump expressed his joy, calling the news “great” before saying “another one bites the dust.”
Katko is the latest casualty among the ostracized 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. His departure would make him the third Republican among this group to not seek reelection, joining Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Representative Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio.
In his statement, Katzo pointed to more family time being the reason he wouldn’t be seeking reelection, as the last three years the Congressman endured were “gut-wrenching” as both he and his wife buried their parents.
