Story highlights Ros-Lehtinen said her decision has nothing to do with her differences with President Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton carried Ros-Lehtinen's district by 20 points over Trump

Washington (CNN) Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican who was the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, is retiring after 38 years -- handing Democrats a major opening to pick off a GOP-held seat.

The 64-year-old Ros-Lehtinen announced her decision to retire Sunday in an interview with the Miami Herald's Patricia Mazzei . She has been a key moderate voice in the House, but said her decision has nothing to do with her differences with President Donald Trump.

"I've served under all kinds of different dynamics in all these years that I've been in office here," she told the newspaper. "Though I don't agree with many, if not most, positions of President Trump."

Though Ros-Lehtinen was re-elected by 10 points in the fall, she represents a largely Democratic district. Hillary Clinton carried it by 20 points over Trump, and then-President Barack Obama bested Mitt Romney by 7 points there in 2012.

Ros-Lehtinen said the Democratic leanings of the district, which was redrawn prior to the 2016 election, had nothing to do with her decision.

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