(CNN) Monday's retirement announcement by Republican Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon barely caused a ripple in the national news cycle, other than to note that he is the 15th GOPer retiring from the House without seeking another office at the end of 2020.

But while Walden may not be a household name in national political circles, his retirement is a telling signal of how likely Republicans believe they are to retake the House majority they lost in the 2018 midterm elections. In short: Not very likely. At all.

Here are two simple reasons why:

1) Walden is the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. And he has time left on his chairmanship. (Republicans have a six-year term limit on committee chairmanships.) Meaning that if Republicans took back the majority in the 2020 election, Walden would run one of the most powerful committees in the House for two more years.

In his retirement statement, Walden said this: "I'm also optimistic that a path exists for Republicans to recapture a majority in the House, and that I could return for two more years as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee."

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