Rep. Dave Reichert who was first elected in 2004, has frustrated Democrats for more than a decade by holding on to the central Washington seat, even as Democratic presidential candidates continued to win the district. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Reichert to retire from House after this term

Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) announced he would not run for another term on Wednesday, opening a key pickup opportunity for Democrats for a seat that hasn't backed a Republican presidential candidate in years.

"I have decided this will be my last term and I will not run for reelection in November, 2018," Reichert, a seven-term Republican incumbent, said in a statement. "It was not an easy decision but I believe it was the right one for my family and me."


Reichert, who was first elected in 2004, has frustrated Democrats for more than a decade by holding on to the central Washington seat, even as Democratic presidential candidates continued to win the district. In 2016, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump there by a 3-point margin. Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in 2012 by two points.

Winning Reichert's seat would help Democrats chip away at their 24-seat deficit in their hopes of retaking the House majority in 2018.

Democrats are bullish on their chances of winning the competitive seat.

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"Clearly, Congressman Reichert saw the writing on the wall, and realized that he was in for an uphill re-election campaign against a strong bench of Democratic challengers with a motivated base," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Drew Godinich.

Ohio Rep. Steve Stivers, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Reichert will be missed, but that the GOP would hold on to the district.

“With a bitter and expensive primary fight already confronting Democrats in this seat, Republicans are ready to elect another common-sense congressman like Dave Reichert, not another rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi,” Stivers said.

Before Reichert's announcement that he would retire, several Democratic candidates had already launched their own bids against him, including Kim Schrier, a pediatrician, Toby Whitney, a former congressional aide, Mona Davis, a mortgage broker and Issaquah City Council member Tola Marts.

Democrat Jason Rittereiser, an attorney who also announced his bid against Reichert, promised to hold 30 public town halls in September, as Reichert came under fire this spring for refusing to stage a town hall.

Republicans familiar with the race named state Sen. Dino Rossi as a potential candidate to replace Reichert. Rossi, a real estate executive, challenged Sen. Patty Murray in 2010, but he lost by just under 5 points. Rossi also ran two failed campaigns for governor in 2004 and 2008.

"The field could continue to take shape, but from the ground, Rossi is the name so far," a Republican operative familiar with the race said.

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