Staff Reports
The Democratic Party is salivating at the upcoming 2024 elections, as a slew of Republican lawmakers have announced their retirement. The House of Representatives is going to be a little less red, and Democrats are already plotting how to swoop in and turn those seats blue.
Forget about counting sheep, folks – counting retiring Republicans is where it’s at these days. With nearly three dozen House members opting out of reelection, the Democrats see an opportunity to snatch those seats right out from under the GOP’s nose. And hey, who can blame them? It’s like a clearance sale on political power!
One prime target for the Democrats is Rep. George Santos from the great state of New York. This freshman lawmaker’s first term was quite the show, filled with accusations of deception, misconduct, and even a sprinkle of criminal activity. These accusations range from the absurd, like claiming to be “Jew-ish” on the campaign trail, to the downright scandalous, with allegations of spending campaign dough on cosmetic procedures and, wait for it, a certain website known for its explicit content. Yikes! It’s no wonder Republicans will be saying “Goodbye Santos, hello Democrats” in 2024.
Another Republican retreat comes from Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, a card-carrying member of the House Freedom Caucus. This die-hard conservative caused quite a stir when he strayed from the herd and voted against Rep. Jim Jordan for Speaker. Buck declared he’d rather speak truth to the public outside of the House. Good luck with that, buddy! The Cook Political Report might not find his district competitive, but with higher turnout expected in a presidential election year, all bets are off.
Democrats seeing red: Four seats Biden's party hopes to flip amid retirement boom (via: @dcexaminer) https://t.co/JjJJjuFPU6
— Colorado Politics (@colo_politics) November 28, 2023
Meanwhile, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana decided to pack it up and head home to her high school kiddos. Awww, how sweet. But her constituents might not be shedding too many tears, especially after she raised a few eyebrows during the House speaker shuffle. Since her district is right next to a deep-blue area, there’s a chance the voter demographic winds could blow in favor of the Democrats come 2024.
Last but certainly not least, we have the grand dame herself, Rep. Kay Granger of Texas. At a ripe 80 years young, the time has come for her to pass the torch to the next generation. While her district might not seem like a battleground, Democratic campaigners and advocacy groups are eyeing the potential to woo independent and women voters with the hot button issue of abortion rights.
So, there you have it, folks. With these Republican retirements, the Dems are picking out bedroom curtains for those soon-to-be-vacant seats in the House. It’s going to be a nail-biter of an election year, that’s for sure!
