Retired GOP representative: I won’t miss the circus, but I might miss some of the clowns

Former Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), whose retirement from Congress became effective this weekend, told Spectrum News that he “won’t miss the circus around here, but I might miss some of the clowns.”

Stivers, who served in the House for 10 years, announced last month that he was retiring from Congress to accept a position as president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

His retirement leaves House Republicans temporarily down a seat in a chamber that is very narrowly controlled by Democrats.

When asked in the interview with Spectrum News if he thinks former President Trump should remain the leader of the Republican Party, Stivers said “it might be time for some new faces in the party.”

“I think that’s up to the people in the party … I think we’ve already had some transition, and I think it might be time for some new faces in the party. You know, we already see that Joe Biden appears to be the Jimmy Carter, I’m ready for the Ronald Reagan,” Stivers said.

When pressed on if he thinks Trump should run again, Stivers sounded a similar note, telling Spectrum News, “I think it’s time to have some fresh faces.”

“That’s up to him whether he runs again … I, you know, I think it’s time to have some fresh faces. I think it’s time to start to turn the page and have some new opportunities, personally,” he said.

Stivers said he does not believe the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. The outlet noted that the former congressman voted with Trump more than 90 percent of the time over the past four years.

When asked what he said to his former colleagues who refused to concede that the election was not stolen, Stivers said, “You know, everybody gets an opinion around here. And you know what they say about opinions.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced last month that the special election to replace Stivers will be held on Nov. 2.

The 15th Congressional District will hold primary elections on Aug. 3.

Stivers’s district will likely remain red in November. The last time it sent a Democrat to Congress was in 2008, and before that a Democrat had not represented it since former Rep. Robert Secrest resigned in 1966.