Democrat Congressman Sires Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

West New York NJ, Democrats seem to smelling a wipeout in the midterms , Congressman Albio Sires announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 117th Congress and will not be seeking reelection in 2022. He has served in the House of Representatives since 2006, first as the Representative for New Jersey’s 13th District and then New Jersey’s 8th District.

Politico reports Republicans are already spending millions attacking them for their votes for trillions more spending and debt. Now the 15 to 25 Democrats in seats that either voted for Donald Trump or are otherwise competitive are facing almost certain expulsion in November. Last month they had to support a tough vote in favor of billions of dollars for illegal immigrants, the SALT giveaway to billionaires, a 900% increase in OSHA fines, the news media bailout, 80,000 new IRS agents, and job-crushing business tax hikes.

Sires announced:

“Working for the residents of New Jersey, and in particular the 8th Congressional District, has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Rep. Sires. “As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I consider the recent passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the billions of dollars we are delivering to fix New Jersey’s infrastructure, including the Gateway Project, as the capstone to a career of service. I’m also incredibly proud to have voted for the transformational Build Back Better Act, a historic investment in our nation’s future.”

“From my service as Mayor of West New York, to my time in the New Jersey State Legislature, including as the first Hispanic Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, to my service in Congress, I have always put our hard-working families first. Whether it was raising the minimum wage, creating affordable housing, increasing funding for public education, or funding critical health research, I am proud of my service to our residents.”

“While my time in Congress will come to an end, my commitment to service remains as strong as ever. I care deeply for the country, state, and town that took me and my family in when we fled Cuba and am grateful that they have put their faith in me to advocate for them in Congress. As we look forward to the second session of this Congress, I will continue to fight for policies that will improve the lives of hardworking New Jerseyans and I look forward to remaining active in Hudson County, especially my hometown of West New York.”

Congressman Sires was born in Bejucal, Cuba and fled with his family to West New York, NJ in 1962. He earned a four-year scholarship to St. Peter’s College and went on to receive a Master’s from Middlebury College. Rep. Sires was a teacher and business owner before he became a public servant. He served as Mayor of West New York, NJ and Speaker of the Assembly before being elected to the House of Representatives. He currently serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the House Committee on the Budget, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he is also the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy.