Rep. Denny Heck Announces Retirement From Congress

U.S. Representative Denny Heck announced Wednesday he would retire from Congress at the end of his term, citing increasingly abrasive D.C. politics and a desire to spend more time with his wife. The 67-year-old Democrat was first elected to Congress in 2012, representing Washington's newly created 10th District. Before moving to the national stage, Heck served in the State House of Representatives for five terms.

In a letter posted online Wednesday, Rep. Heck outlined some things he was most proud of during his four decades in public service, including earlier work in the state legislature, and more recently on the House Intelligence Committee. The congressman said the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump has taken its toll on him and was a factor in his decision to leave office.

In the spirit of complete openness, part of me is also discouraged. The countless hours I have spent in the investigation of Russian election interference and the impeachment inquiry have rendered my soul weary. I will never understand how some of my colleagues, in many ways good people, could ignore or deny the President’s unrelenting attack on a free press, his vicious character assassination of anyone who disagreed with him, and his demonstrably very distant relationship with the truth.

As has been observed, however, to some degree he is a symptom and not the cause or at least the only cause. The truth is that civic discourse began degrading before him. At times, it is as though there are no rules or boundaries. Success seems to be measured by how many Twitter followers one has which are largely gained by saying increasingly outrageous things, the more personal the better. There are simply too many hyperbolic adjectives and too few nouns. Civility is out. Compromise is out. All or nothing is in.

None of this discouragement in any way diminishes the bone-deep gratitude I feel for the privilege to serve in Congress and for all who have made this incredible journey possible — my family, the voters of the 10th District, my staff and all the countless people who have extended a thousand kindnesses along the way. So, [in case] it hasn’t been clear enough: Thank you! But it is time for me to retire.

Heck's district represents portions of Thurston, Pierce and Mason counties, including the cities of Olympia, Lakewood, Puyallup, University Place, and Sumner. The Associated Press reports Heck was last re-elected to office in 2018 with 61.5 percent of the vote.

Read the congressman's full retirement letter here.

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