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U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) announced he is retiring from Congress effective at the close of business today, August 31.
Crist’s departure leaves Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a very slim two seat margin in the House of Representatives.
The timing of Crist’s resignation is sure to add fuel to the fire for Republicans who have been critical of the Democrats’ handling of Congress.
Crist’s district is considered to be a safe seat for the Democrats, so it is unlikely that his resignation will have a significant impact on the balance of power in Congress.
Pelosi issued a statement saying she is “deeply saddened” by Crist’s decision to resign and thanked him for his service to the people of Florida.
It is not yet clear who will replace Crist in Congress. A special election will be held to fill the vacancy.
The move comes as Crist prepares to mount a challenge to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Crist’s resignation will leave Nancy Pelosi with a very slim majority of just two votes in the House of Representatives.
This could prove to be a major problem for Pelosi if she needs to get anything done in the House, as it is highly unlikely that Crist’s replacement will be a Democrat.
Crist’s resignation is a big blow to the Democratic Party, and it will be interesting to see how Pelosi manages to get anything done with such a slim majority.
Crist said: “Serving as the Representative of Florida’s 13th Congressional District has been an honor and a privilege.
“When I first took office nearly six years ago, I vowed to defend our Veterans, bring jobs to Florida, fight climate change, and put people over politics. And that is exactly what I have done.
“I am proud of my accomplishments and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the people of Florida.
“However, after careful consideration, I have decided that the best way for me to continue serving my constituents is to resign from Congress effective immediately.
“I want to thank the people of Florida for their support and I look forward to continuing to serve them in the future.
“As I close out my time in Congress, I could not be prouder of the work we’ve done to uphold those promises.
“Passing legislation to support our veterans, expanding solar energy in the Sunshine State, securing millions in direct funding for community projects, and returning over $6 million in earned benefits to the people of Pinellas.”
This is not the first time Crist has resigned from Congress, as he also stepped down from his seat in 2010 to run for Senate. He lost that race to Marco Rubio.
Crist’s resignation comes as a surprise, as he was just re-elected in November with nearly 60 percent of the vote. He has been a reliable vote for Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in the House.
With Crist’s resignation, the Democrats now have a slim two-seat majority in the House. This could be a problem for Pelosi if any other Democrats decide to resign or retire before the end of their term. Stay tuned to see what happens next in this developing story.
