House Democrat, 'Weary' Over Impeachment Hearings, Is Done

Can you really blame him? Democratic Rep. Denny Heck says he's not seeking re-election next year, declaring himself "weary" after the impeachment hearings. Heck, who was first elected to serve his Washington state district in 2012, sits on the House Intelligence Committee and participated in last month's impeachment hearings, Politico reports. "With the bulk of the Intelligence Committee’s work on impeachment behind us, Thanksgiving week provided me with a good opportunity for rest and reflection," Heck, 67, wrote in a Medium post announcing his decision Wednesday. He then reflected on what an honor it's been to serve his constituents, but ultimately turned to the toll the work has taken.

"In the spirit of complete openness, part of me is also discouraged," he wrote. "The countless hours I have spent in the investigation of Russian election interference and the impeachment inquiry have rendered my soul weary. I will never understand how some of my colleagues, in many ways good people, could ignore or deny the President’s unrelenting attack on a free press, his vicious character assassination of anyone who disagreed with him, and his demonstrably very distant relationship with the truth." Politico notes his district is Democratic-leaning; Hillary Clinton carried it by an 11-point margin in 2016. (More House of Representatives stories.)