Two Republicans have joined the list of those retiring from the U.S. House at the end of this term. Both districts are in conservative areas, and should remain with the GOP in next year's elections.
The list of departures is now at 21, including 14 Democrats and seven Republicans.
Ken Buck - Colorado District 4
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Oregon's longest-tenured U.S. House member, will not seek reelection in 2024.
Blumenauer joined the House in 1996, winning a special election in Oregon's 3rd congressional district. He has been reelected 14 times, never with less than 65% of the vote. Blumenauer succeeded fellow Democrat Ron Wyden who had resigned after winning the special election for a vacant U.S. Senate seat. Wyden remains in office to this day.
Former Vice President Mike Pence concluded a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas Saturday with the announcement that he was ending his presidential campaign.
Per Politico, Pence said “The Bible tells us that there’s a time for every purpose under heaven. Traveling across the country over the past six months, I came here to say it’s become clear to me that it’s not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today."
Averaging 3.8% in recent polls, Pence saw between 3% and 6% support in most of the national Republican polls conducted in recent months. While that qualified him to appear in both GOP debates held thus far, his campaign was not gaining traction and was struggling with financial problems. His polling numbers in Iowa, where he had focused his campaign's efforts, had been even weaker than the national numbers.
Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection next year. In his statement, Sarbanes said he will complete the current term - his 9th - with an eye toward other forms of public service once he leaves Congress.
Sarbanes represents Maryland's 3rd congressional district. It includes much of the southern and western suburbs of Baltimore and extends to Annapolis. The district is safely Democratic; Sarbanes won his final term in 2022 by a 60% to 40% margin.
Three legislative special primaries are the final contests before Election Day on November 7.
Alabama State House Districts 16 and 55 (Runoffs)
Republicans dominate the Alabama State House, holding 75 seats, to just 27 for Democrats. There are three vacancies. Members serve four-year terms; the next regular elections are in 2026.
The newest member of the U.S. Senate, Democrat Laphonza Butler of California, said Thursday that she will not run for a full term in 2024. Butler was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month, following the death of longtime Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
“I have spent my life working for working men and women whether I was fighting to win more pay for their labor, strengthen their communities or help them get elected. I’ve always believed elected leaders should have real clarity about why they’re in office and what they want to..
— Laphonza Butler (@LaphonzaB) October 19, 2023
A crowded field will compete in the state's all-party primary on March 5. The three Democratic frontrunners, who have been in the race for months, are U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (CA-12), Katie Porter (CA-47), and Adam Schiff (CA-30). Republicans gained a prominent name last week, when former major league baseball player Steve Garvey announced he would run.
The top two finishers in the primary - regardless of party - will advance to the November general election.
Note that because of the timing of Butler's appointment, California law requires a special election to complete Feinstein's term. The dates will be the same: March 5 for the primary, November 5 for the general, but it will be a separate election on the ballot. The winner of that special election will serve for the last few weeks of the 118th congress.
Rep. Debbie Lesko of Arizona said Tuesday that she will not seek reelection in 2024.
A statement from Congresswoman Debbie Lesko ?? pic.twitter.com/ziBheGVDbz
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) October 17, 2023
Lesko joined the House in 2018, winning a special election to fill the vacancy created when Trent Franks (R) resigned. She won reelection that year and in 2020, and was unopposed in 2022.
Arizona's 8th congressional district includes northern portions of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
State Attorney General Jeff Landry was elected governor of Louisiana on Saturday. Landry secured a majority of the vote in the primary, avoiding a general election runoff.
He will succeed Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term due to term limit laws.
While Landry was favored to be the state's next governor, he had to overcome some daunting math to do it in the first round. There were 14 other candidates, including seven Republicans, on the ballot.
Louisiana holds its majority vote primary Saturday. This hybrid system is unique, although some other states use a similar approach for special elections. All candidates for a seat appear together on a single ballot. If one gets a majority of the vote, they are elected. Otherwise, the top two advance to a general election runoff.
The runoff elections, as needed, will take place on Saturday, November 18.
Polls close at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.
This Tuesday, we're following two State Senate special primaries as well as a primary for the mayor of Durham, North Carolina.
Next up is Saturday's Louisiana majority vote primary, headlined by the gubernatorial election. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards is ineligible to run due to term limits. Check back later in the week for an overview and live results.
Durham, North Carolina
| Rank | Population* | Mayor | Terms | Status |
| 71 | 291,928 | Elaine O'Neal (D) | 1 | Not running |
*Population rank is based on the July 1, 2022 Census Bureau estimates. It is based on the city itself, not the associated metropolitan area.
Mayors in Durham serve two-year terms. Incumbent Elaine O'Neal is not seeking reelection. There are eight candidates on the nonpartisan primary ballot looking to succeed her. The top two will advance to the general election on November 7.
Polls close at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
