CA-39: Another Chairman to Retire

In what is seemingly a daily occurrence, another House member announced that he will not seek re-election this year.  Veteran California Congressman Ed Royce (R-Yorba Linda/Fullerton), who was first elected in 1992 after spending ten years in the California Senate, declared his intention to retire yesterday despite holding $3.5 million in his campaign account.  Up until now, it appeared Mr. Royce was preparing for what was promising to be a highly competitive campaign in a district that is moving leftward and undergoing drastic demographic changes. 
 
Rep. Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is the seventh committee chairman to announce his retirement.  All are ending their allotted tenure on their respective policy panels.  Unlike most of the 32 Republican open seats, this southern California district will provide the Democrats with a prime conversion opportunity.  Hillary Clinton carried the seat in 2016, by a 51-43% spread.  Already six Democrats had announced their candidacies, and others are now expected to jump into the race now that the seat is open.

--Jim Ellis