“The desire to bridge our differences is little or non-existent and unity is no longer the word we use,” Kinzinger said. “It has also become increasingly apparent that I cannot focus on both the re-election to Congress and the wider struggle across the country to interrupt the narrative.”
Kinzinger, who is friends with LaHood, faced difficult prospects for a return to Congress after criticizing the president for most of his recent years, who still holds the iron grip of GOP voters.
And even before the Democrats landed on the new congressional map, it was clear that they intended to dismantle as many red districts in the country as possible by pushing employees together or cutting out their homes from the new districts most reminiscent of their old seats. GOP representatives Mike Bost and Mary Miller are also linked in the Southern District.
Some of Kinzinger’s colleagues quickly realized that his decision came as no surprise.
“I liked Adam because he served our country well, but his vocal views and voices did not match conservative goals or directives, especially the radical socialist agenda we are struggling with today,” said spokesman Ralph Norman (RS). C.), Member of the Freedom Group.
Trump, however, quickly celebrated the news in a statement sent to reporters by email: “2 down, 8 forward!” he wrote.
Questions about Kinzinger’s fate in Congress were swirl for several months as he leaned heavily toward his criticisms of Trump and some of his GOP colleagues. His decision to join a select committee on Jan. 6, with the appointment of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, further complicated his relations in Congress.
The far-right conservatives – with whom Kinzinger was once aligned – welcomed his decision.
Members of the Freedom Parliamentary Group held press conferences calling on GOP leader Kevin McCarthy to approve a conference resolution that would effectively remove Kinzinger and MP Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Another visible criticism of Trump, from their committee duties. to occupy their seats on a committee examining the Capitol revolt.
“Unfortunately, since I came to Congress in January, I’ve seen first-hand that representatives Kinzinger and Cheney have done more to harm the Republican conference than help them while working for Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi,” the newcomer said. spokeswoman Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) said in late July during efforts to remove Kinzinger. “These members should not be allowed our private meetings behind closed doors … why can he be a part of these conversations while he comes back and consults with the opposition?”
And newcomer Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Called Kinzinger a “Republican party traitor” in a statement because of his opposition to Trump.
Kinzinger, too, battled some of his worst critics and introduced his Country First PAC, designed to help other GOP candidates who voted for Trump’s accusation.
Although Kinzinger in his previously recorded words on Friday condemned both Democrats and Republicans for addressing the “most motivated and extreme elements” of his parties, he seemed to be alluding specifically to Trump’s style of politics and the divisions they incite. untruths in the election of the former president.
“We have allowed leaders to achieve power by selling the false assumption that power comes from humiliating others and dehumanizing those who look, act, or think differently than we do,” he said. “As a country, we have fallen for these lies. And now we are faced with a poisoned country full of outrage that blinds our ability to achieve real power.”
Gonzalez had already announced his retirement last month, well before Ohio completed the transformation process. He has already faced the challenge of former Trump official Max Miller.
The other eight Republicans advocating the indictment have different options for re-election. Cheney has a challenger backed by the former president. Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina has a well-funded opponent. Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse of Washington and Representative David Valadao of California live in countries with a pre-selection of all parties that could increase their chances.
Representatives Peter Meijer and Fred Upton of Michigan and John Katko of New York reside in countries that have not yet completed the transformation process.
Kinzinger, who was first elected in 2010, is a former air force pilot who relied heavily on his military background in his initial campaign. And the unfavorable redistribution is not foreign to him. A decade ago, he was attracted to Republican Representative Don Manzullo, who was twice his age and had previously represented much of the current territory. Kinzinger defeated Manzull in the primary by 54 to 46 percent.
While his retirement to Republicans is another sign that there is less room in the GOP for those who have decided to break with Trump, even without office, Kinzinger says he is not done yet. And he did not rule out offers for other, higher positions, including the governor’s seat, the senate, or possibly elsewhere.
“I would like to make it clear: this is not the end of my political future, but the beginning,” he said in the video.