Veteran Congressman David Drier (R-Calif.) representing California’s 26th Congressional District announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election in November. Drier’s retirement follows on the heels of a similar announcement from Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) who surprised the Republican Congressional Leadership this week with her announcement to retire from her Senate seat in November.
In an unusual move, the 16-term congressman announced his resignation from the floor of the House of Representatives explaining, “First, this is where my fellow Californians sent me to represent them. Second, I am a proud institutionalist, and I believe that this institution is as great as it has ever been.”
Drier has been considered a moderate for his vote in support of the repeal of the discriminative “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy which was overturned on Sept. 20, 2011. He also voted in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which failed to pass both houses of Congress.
The Congressman attributed his retirement in part to “abysmally low approval ratings” of Congress and expressed his belief that “the American people are asking for change in Congress.”
In 2010, Drier was placed in a Latino and Democrat Majority district following a citizen’s commission to redraw California’s Congressional Districts. He supported a petition drive to overturn the redistricting done by citizens for the first time, but that petition failed to gain the support of his Republican Colleagues in the California Congressional Delegation.
The Congressman was controversially passed over for a leadership position in 2005 in the House Republican Conference, garnering comments from various observers including Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass) who speculated that he was turned down for the role on account of being gay.
Drier was the Chairman of the influential House Rules Committee and his pending departure will leave the chairmanship open come November.
Drier has served the U.S. Congress since 1981.
