Viginia Republican 65 Year Old Goodlatte Will Not Seek Re-Election

Rep. Bob Goodlatte will not seek reelection to the House in 2018, he announced Thursday.

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The Virginia Republican leads the powerful House Judiciary Committee, but his term as chairman ends next year. "This is a natural stepping-off point," he said.
Goodlatte's district has long been a safe seat for Republicans.
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Another House committee chairman is planning to retire. Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a 13-term congressman from Virginia.

In a statement Thursday, he says it’s “the right time for me to step aside and let someone else serve the sixth district.”Goodlatte’s tenure as chairman of the judiciary panel ends in December 2018 due to term limits.

He describes the marker as the “natural stepping-off point” and a chance to begin a new chapter.

The 65-year-old Goodlatte is among several other longtime House committee chairmen who have announced plans to retire at the end of their term, including Jeb Hensarling of Texas, who heads the financial services panel, and Lamar Smith of Texas, the science committee chairman.