Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Confirms Retirement After 2018 Election

MIAMI, FL — Saying "today is about beginnings; It's not about endings," veteran Miami Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, confirmed in a press conference on Monday that she will not seek re-election in 2018. She was first elected to Congress in 1989. She represents Florida's 27th Congressional District.

"I'm confident that my constituents would have extended my term of office further should I have chosen to do so. But we must recall what the Bible says: To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven," she said with her husband, Dexter, by her side. "The time has come for me to seek a new challenge and the season has come for me to look at other adventures that life has for me."

The 27th Congressional District covers a large swath of Miami-Dade County, including parts of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, South Miami and Westchester.

Since coming to office in a special election, Ros-Lehtinen has been a powerhouse in Congress, serving as Chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. She has been a strong supporter of the state of Israel and human rights. She has also been a vocal opponent to the Castro regimes in Cuba.

Holocaust survivor David Mermelstein brushed back tears as Ros-Lehtinen addressed reporters on Monday for the first time since news broke of her retirement. Ros-Lehtinen had been assisting Holocaust survivors to obtain compensation from the German government.

"The time has come for me to seek a new challenge and the season has come for me to look at other adventures that life has for me," she added.

She first announced her retirement on Sunday in an interview with The Miami Herald, Ros-Lehtinen said she felt it was time to move on after 35 years in elected office. She served in Florida state politics before running for Congress. The mother of a transgender son, Ros-Lehtinen considers herself a moderate and has had well publicized disagreements with the Trump administration.

Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez kicked off her congressional run in April with her first email to residents. She is running as a Democrat and acknowledged in a recent interview with Patch that she was a just a child when Ros-Lehtinen first entered politics.

Rosen Gonzalez, who plans to remain on the Miami Beach Commission during the campaign, cited the threat of climate change and transportation gridlock as key issues in her campaign.

Much like Ros-Lehtinen, Rosen Gonzalez also has a background in education. But the absence of Ros-Lehtinen from the 2018 race will likely be too tempting to pass up for other Miami area Democrats. As news of Ros-Lehtinen's retirement broke, pundits noted that Hillary Clinton won the congresswoman's district over President Donald Trump by 20 points, marking a strong opportunity for a Democratic pickup, and adding to the wave of threats Republicans are facing in traditionally safe seats.

Ros-Lehtinen's colleagues praised the congresswoman for her public service and commitment to human rights.

Photo courtesy of Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen