Shimkus announces he will stick with plan to retire after reconsidering

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) on Monday reaffirmed his intention to retire at the end of his term after saying last week he was reconsidering amid pressure from constituents and colleagues.

“I was asked by local Republicans, party leaders in Washington, DC, and a bipartisan group of rank and file House members to reconsider my retirement. I was honored by their outreach. In response to their lobbying, I promised to seriously consider the request, which I did last week in DC and this past weekend at home,” Shimkus said in a statement.

{mosads}”After weighing the pros and cons, I have decided to reaffirm my plan to retire,” he added.

Shimkus, one of the top Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced his retirement at the end of August, but admitted he was “reconsidering” last week, shortly after Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), the committee’s ranking member, also announced his retirement.

Several of Shimkus’ fellow GOP committee members have also expressed interest in the top spot, including Reps. Bob Latta (Ohio), Brett Guthrie (Ky.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and Michael Burgess (Texas), according to the publication.

Since initially announcing his retirement, Shimkus also issued some of the most withering criticisms of any House Republican about President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, telling KMOX’s Mark Reardon, “I called my chief of staff in D.C., I said ‘pull my name off the “I support Donald Trump” list.’ We have just stabbed our allies in the back. The Kurds go back all the way to the first Gulf War.”