McMorris Rodgers earlier this week. Photo: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images
House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said today she won't seek re-election.
Why it matters: McMorris Rodgers is a crucial figure for everything relating to energy, health and tech policy in the House.
- Her sudden departure after rising the ranks in House leadership is likely to cast a cloud over Congress' policy agenda for the rest of the year.
Driving the news: "I will not be running for re-election to the People's House," she said in a statement.
- "We will spend this year honoring the [Energy and Commerce] Committee's rich history — plowing the hard ground necessary to legislate on solutions to make people's lives better and ensure America wins the future," the statement said.
Between the lines: The statement positions her E&C legacy as her primary focus for the rest of the year, which may mean her signature policy bills get more focus.
- But it remains to be seen if there's enough consensus in the House GOP and Senate to enact many of those measures.
- McMorris Rodgers was elected in 2004 and quickly became a protege of House Republican leader John Boehner.
