Feb 16, 2022 - Politics & Policy
Open House seats raise midterm competition
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The 2022 midterms will be marked by the largest number of House Democrats leaving their seats since at least the early 1990s — adding yet another complicating factor to the party maintaining its control of the chamber.
Why it matters: Double-digit departures from either party during past cycles — 1994, 2006, 2010, and 2018 — portended a shift in power in Washington.
Between the lines: Not all members are retiring; several have announced they're angling for another office.
- But open seats are inherently more competitive because they typically draw more candidates in each party's primary, as well as more attention and more fundraising.
- So far, more Democrats than Republicans have announced they're leaving the U.S. House (22 are retiring, compared to 7 Republicans).
- The parties are similarly represented among the group seeking alternative office (8 Democrats and 7 Republicans).
Don't forget: Democrats had one of their worst midterms in 2010, after Barack Obama was elected president.
- 16 Democrats had announced their departure before November.
- One note: The numbers don't include those who left office before the end of their terms. Those who have are usually replaced in a special election or before the general election.
