Story highlights "I would say the President was a factor, but not the factor for me deciding to leave," Dent said

Dent also warned his party against alienating potential voters

(CNN) A Republican congressman said Thursday while President Donald Trump wasn't the determining factor in his decision to retire at the end of his term, which expires in 2018, he was a part of it.

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania, said Republican candidates facing re-election would have to surpass challenging hurdles, among them Trump's divisive nature as the figurehead of the party.

"Well, at least in my case, I would say the President was a factor, but not the factor for me deciding to leave," Dent told CNN's Poppy Harlow, while a "a very challenging midterm environment " also contributed to his decision.

"The party of the President typically loses 32 seats in a situation like this," Dent told CNN, but "of course then, Donald Trump, you know, complicates that because he's a very polarizing figure , and so I suspect our challenges will be even greater just because of that."

Dent also warned his party against alienating potential voters by clinging too closely to the traditional Republican base.

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