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Republican Rep. John Katko, who voted for Trump's impeachment, is retiring

Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., walks down the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 23, 2021. Katko has announced his retirement from Congress.
Anna Moneymaker
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Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., walks down the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 23, 2021. Katko has announced his retirement from Congress.

Rep. John Katko announced on Friday he will not seek a fifth term in office to represent New York's 24th Congressional District.

The Republican — one of 10 in the House to vote for former President Donald Trump's second impeachment — said he was retiring to spend more time with his family.

"For the past 32 years, I've devoted my life to protecting and serving our community and our country. First as a federal prosecutor, and now as a Member of Congress, it has been my mission to unite people in order to solve serious problems," Katko said in a statement posted to his campaign Facebook page.

"Representing Central New York in Congress — solving real problems, and relentlessly championing bipartisanship — has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime. It is with profound gratitude for my colleagues, staff, supporters, team, and the people of New York's 24th Congressional District that I am thrilled to begin this next and best chapter of my life alongside Robin and our family."

Katko is the 14th congressional Republican — and the third of 10 to have voted for Trump's impeachment — to announce a departure from Congress. Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio are also retiring.

Trump, a fellow native New Yorker, cheered Katko's retirement in a statement.

"Great news, another one bites the dust. Katko, from Upstate New York, is gone!"

Redistricting also loomed over Katko's seat, as New York's Democratic-led legislature recently rejected proposed maps from a bipartisan commission and could take broader control of the district drawing.

Twenty-six House Democrats have so far announced their departures from Congress, in what is expected to be a difficult election year for the party.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Alana Wise joined WAMU in September 2018 as the 2018-2020 Audion Reporting Fellow for Guns & America. Selected as one of 10 recipients nationwide of the Audion Reporting Fellowship, Alana works in the WAMU newsroom as part of a national reporting project and is spending two years focusing on the impact of guns in the Washington region.
Alana Wise
Alana Wise is a politics reporter on the Washington desk at NPR.