How many members of the U.S. House of Representatives have already announced their retirement from Congress?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:
At the time this visual was published, how many days were we from the next election?
At the time this visual was published, how many Republicans had already announced their retirement from Congress?
How does the current number of Republicans not running for re-election compare to the number of Democrats not running for reelection?
In the visual above, what year had the most House Democrats retirements before election day?
Under federal law, members of Congress do not receive their full pay when they retire, and they must serve at least five years to be entitled to a pension. Compare the current level of retirement at this point ahead of the election to other years.
An open seat is a congressional seat that does not have an incumbent. It is easier to win an open seat than to defeat an incumbent. Why do you think that is?
According the visual below* there are currently 7 special elections that will be held before the next general election. A special election that occurs at a time between general elections. Special elections are held for various reasons including the House expulsion of George Santos, and the retirement of Kevin McCarthy on January 31, 2023. According to the visual below, how many of the special elections are competitive (meaning, a candidate from either party has a reasonable chance of winning)?
According to the visual below* only one of the Republican seats being vacated is competitive while seven of the Democratic seats that are being vacated are competitive. How will this difference in competitiveness help the Republicans to keep their 8 seat advantage in the U.S. House?
Given Republicans’ razor-thin House majority, the wave of exits has the potential to lead to a significant shake-up next year. Imagine the Democrats retake the House majority. What would that change about the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives?
Make a claim about what the current level of Congressional retirement says about how effectively our government is functioning.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Contact your U.S. House Representative and ask them how long they plan to stay in office.
Get Creative
Create the perfect opponent to defeat the incumbent (if there is one) in your U.S. congressional district.
