Rep. Steve Israel to retire

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that he won’t seek reelection this year after eight terms in the House in order to spend more time working on a second novel.

Israel, who is a member of House Democratic leadership and spearheads messaging efforts, said he wanted to help ensure his Long Island-area district would remain in the party’s control in this year’s elections, where Republicans are eyeing a potential pickup opportunity.

{mosads}”I considered this decision deeply, but ultimately, I want to be a team player and ensure that my district, which is the only competitive district in House Democratic Leadership, remains in the hands of Democrats when I leave. The 2016 presidential turnout will help assure that,” Israel said in a statement.

He previously served as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) during the 2012 and 2014 election cycles. House Democratic leaders created the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee in early 2015 to develop caucus messaging, which Israel has chaired since its inception.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Israel a “tremendous resource” for Democratic communications efforts.

“Under Chairman Israel’s leadership, the DPCC has helped strengthen and hone our message, enabling us to win key legislative victories for the American people,” Pelosi said in a statement.

Israel’s departure came as a surprise to many on Capitol Hill, including for the first reason he cited for wanting to retire: finishing a second book.

“I hope to continue to be involved in public service, but it is time for me to pursue new passions and develop new interests, mainly spend more time writing my second novel,” Israel said.

He also added that he is “looking forward to spending more time home and frequenting my beloved New York diners. Simply put, it’s time to pass on the torch.”

Israel’s first novel, titled “The Global War on Morris,” was published in December 2014. The political satire is about a Long Island pharmaceutical salesman who gets seduced by a receptionist during his travels. A series of subsequent events ultimately make him the target of a futuristic surveillance state.

Reviews of his book highlighted a number of eyebrow-raising passages describing lascivious temptations, with one scene using the word “flesh” in almost every sentence.