A top congressional Republican from Ohio who was a loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump has decided to call it quits after 12 years in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election and would instead retire at the end of the current term, largely due to the redistricting “circus” caused by Democrats in the state, Fox News reported.
The decision to retire instead of seeking re-election
In a statement posted to his campaign’s Twitter account, Rep. Gibbs first touted his accomplishments during his tenure in Congress before decrying the “considerable challenges” posed by President Joe Biden and the “radical socialist policies” of his Democratic colleagues.
However, he remains “confident in the future of our nation” given the prospects of GOP control of Congress in the next term, which, unfortunately, won’t include him. “These prospects are bright despite the circus redistricting has become in Ohio.”
“These long, drawn-out processes, in which the Ohio Supreme Court can take weeks and months to deliberate while demanding responses and filings from litigants within days, is detrimental to the state and does not serve the people of Ohio,” Gibbs wrote.
“It is irresponsible to effectively confirm the congressional map for this election cycle seven days before voting begins, especially in the Seventh Congressional District where almost 90 percent of the electorate is new and nearly two-thirds is an area primarily from another district, foreign to any expectations or connection to the current Seventh District,” he continued.
The congressman concluded by noting that his decision to not run for re-election was made after “considerable deliberation” and thanked his family and friends and supporters for providing him with the opportunity to serve for as long as he did.
Redistricting eviscerated Gibbs’ old district
The reference from Gibbs to the redistricting “circus,” according to Cleveland.com, was undoubtedly concerning the fact that his once-predominately rural 7th District had been substantially redrawn to include much of the western suburbs of Cleveland and only retained about 12 percent of his prior district.
That redrawing of his district essentially forced him into a crowded field of primary candidates that he had little desire to fight against, including former Trump aide Max Miller, who received the former president’s endorsement before the redistricting when Miller would have faced off against an anti-Trump GOP incumbent in a different district.
According to The Hill, Miller praised Gibbs following the announcement and said, “Congressman Bob Gibbs has championed Ohio values in Congress for more than a decade,” and added, “He has been a fighter for Ohio voters and we should all be thankful for his contribution to our state and our country.”
Praise from the former president
Former President Trump also had kind words for the loyal congressman, and said in a statement from his Save America PAC, “I want to congratulate Congressman Bob Gibbs of Ohio on a wonderful and accomplished career. His retirement, after serving in Congress for more than a decade, should be celebrated by all.”
“He was a strong ally to me and MAGA, voting to support my America First agenda and fighting strongly against the Radical Left,” Trump added. “Thank you for your service, Bob — a job well done!”
