Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) said Monday he will retire from Congress after his current term, joining more than two dozen other House Democrats who have announced they will not seek reelection ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
Perlmutter, 68, said in a statement that he has “never shied away from a challenge but it’s time for me to move on and explore other opportunities.”
“There comes a time when you pass the torch to the next generation of leaders. I’m deeply gratified that our bench in the 7th District is deep and fortunately we have a strong group of leaders who are ready and able to take up that torch,” he added.
Perlmutter’s announcement follows Colorado’s new congressional maps, which cut the 7th District from a 15-point Democratic lean to just 6 points, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The eight-term congressman said that despite his retirement, the district has “the best of Colorado in it and even though the numbers are slightly tighter we will win.”
Perlmutter is now the 26th House Democrat to announce plans for retirement from the House. By comparison, 13 House Republicans have announced they won’t seek reelection.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) added Perlmutter to its list of vulnerable Democrats in November after GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin’s win in the Virginia gubernatorial race.
Republicans have to flip just five seats to win control of the House in November.
NRCC spokeswoman Courtney Parella argued that Perlmutter “made the smart decision to retire rather than lose reelection” in November, adding that the congressman “knows House Democrats won’t be in the majority after the midterm elections.”
Perlmutter, who first entered Congress in 2007, touted a number of efforts during his time in the House, including pushing to expand renewable energy research, grow his state’s aerospace community and complete the VA Medical Center in Aurora.
“The masthead of the Denver Post once said, ‘Tis a privilege to live in Colorado’ and indeed it is,” Perlmutter wrote. “It’s been a privilege and honor of a lifetime to serve Colorado, the state I love and have always called home.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Perlmutter a “relentless advocate” for Colorado’s top priorities, and said he showed “devoted leadership” to the country and his constituents during his time in Congress.
“He has brought to the Congress good faith and an open mind to help advance progress for American families while never unwilling to stand his ground,” she added in a statement.
This story was updated at 4:56 p.m.