Representative Lois Capps Retiring


capitalRepresentative Lois Capps (D-CA) has announced her retirement. The Representative for California’s 24th District made the announcement in a video Wednesday.

“I’ve been so humbled and honored that you would trust me to be your representative to Congress. But now I believe it is time for me to return home, back to the community and family that I love so much, It’s been a hard decision to make, for I have loved this job. … But life moves on. And in the meantime, I am very much looking forward to our final 22 months together in public office.” Capps said solemnly.

Her vacated seat left will most likely be highly sought after by both parties. Her district stretches across the coast. The area tends to vote more Democratic, but is not entirely shut out to Republican incumbents.

In 2014, Capps beat Republican Chris Mitchum. The challenger was little known, but lost by 4%. While Capps spent $2 million, her opponent spent below $500,000.

Capps had replaced her husband, the late Walter Capps, in the seat. Her husband, who also taught religious studies, had died of a heart attack in 1997. His death came within a year of his victory in the spot. It is also possible her daughter, Laura Capps, will run for the spot. Her daughter has been retweeting news about her mother on Twitter and said that she will weigh her options in the coming days.

Other Democratic candidates that may run include Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal and state Assemblyman Das Williams.

Justin Fareed has said he is running as a Republican. He has said he would run as “a fiscally conservative local businessman, third-generation rancher and former UCLA running back who gained national attention … during his first bid for Congress in 2014, before narrowly missing a spot in the general election by less than one half of a percent.” California uses a run-off system for their primaries and then general elections.

Another possible candidate is Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian. Achadjian has said he is “definitely considering” running for the seat.

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