Rep. Danny Davis set to be House Democrats' latest retirement
Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) is expected to announce this week that he will not seek reelection, a senior House Democrat familiar with the matter told Axios on the condit...
Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) is expected to announce this week that he will not seek reelection, a senior House Democrat familiar with the matter told Axios on the condition of anonymity.
Why it matters: The development comes as Democrats' old guard is facing a virtual revoltamong their younger grassroots base to step aside and allow a new generation of leaders to emerge.
- The announcement will cap off months of speculation about whether the 83-year-old, first elected in 1996, would try to fend off a growing field of Democratic primary challengers.
- "Congressman Davis will make an announcement tomorrow," Davis' chief of staff Tumia Romero told Axios, adding, "We have not made known what the announcement will be."
Driving the news: The news was first reported by NBC 5 Chicago, which said that Davis will endorse state Rep. LaShawn Ford to replace him.
- Businessman Jason Friedman and Forest Park mayor Rory Hoskins are already running for the seat.
- Several other local Democrats have been mulling bids as well, according to Politico's Illinois Playbook.
Zoom out: Davis will join Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), 81, who announced in May she will not run for reelection amid a primary challenge from 26-year-old progressive Kat Abughazaleh.
- Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), 71, who suffered a stroke last year that kept him off Capitol Hill for more than six months, is also retiring.
- More than a dozen other House Democrats in their 70s and 80s are facing primary challengers, most recently 78-year-old Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).
- Still, more than half of the 30 House Democrats who are 75 and older have told Axios they plan to run for reelection, making Davis and Schakowsky the exceptions.
