Democratic Rep. James E. Clyburn may have stepped away from his spot as the No. 3 House Democrat and the highest-ranking Black member of Congress, but with things currently looking up for his party, he’s not ready to leave the House altogether and has announced that, at age 85, he will be seeking an 18th term.
According to the New York Times, Clyburn made the announcement Thursday at the party headquarters in Columbia, S.C., where he said his decision felt right and natural, considering he has spent his life in public service, and was inspired, in part, by the prospect of being in office to witness the election of the House’s first Black speaker, which will be Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the current minority leader, should Democrats take back the House during the mid-term elections, as many have predicted they will.
From the Times:
He said his time in Congress had been driven by a desire to help people and guided by a mantra he had instructed his daughters to put on his tombstone: “He did his darnedest to make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for all its citizens.”
Addressing his age, Mr. Clyburn said, “I do believe I’m very well equipped and healthy enough to move into the next term,” adding that he planned to run a “vigorous” campaign. He said Mr. Jeffries had encouraged him to stay, had “made me feel necessary” and had said he could have a seat at the leadership table if Democrats win the House majority.
As the Times noted, Clyburn served for years as the No. 3 House Democrat behind Reps Nancy Pelosi and Steny H. Hoyer, both of whom are set to retire after this term. He stepped down from that position in 2022 to make way for a new generation of party leaders, such as Jeffries, and now he appears to want to stay aboard the ship to see where the new captain and crew take it.
He doesn’t appear to be too stressed about whether or not his bid for reelection will be successful, though.
“This could very well be my last term — and it could very well not be,” he recently told reporters.
On Thursday, Clyburn said he came to his decision to try to remain in Congress after discussions with his daughter and two people he didn’t name, and after a poll he recently commissioned, which he said showed “remarkable approval” of him by his constituents.
Well, good luck, sir!
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