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A Republican lawmaker said President Donald Trump is a factor in his decision to not seek re-election in 2018.

Cong, Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania is one of the 27 Republicans who decided to retire after the end of their term.

In an interview with CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Cong. Dent said, "Well, at least in my case, I would say the President was a factor, but not the factor for me deciding to leave.” He explained that he has been considering of leaving Congress since 2013 when the federal government entered a shutdown.

According to him, “I really thought it might be time to move on. Those are part of my reasons.”

Additionally, the Pennsylvania lawmaker noted that Republicans who are facing re-election are confronting very challenging obstacles.

He said, “Certainly, we are in a very challenging mid-term environment. The party, the President typically loses 32 seats in a mid-term like this. I think most of my colleagues are well aware of the historical challenges that we pay.”

Cong. Dent says Pres. Trump is a “very polarizing figure”

Furthermore Cong. Dent emphasized that President Donald Trump as the leader of the GOP “complicates” the political environment. He cited the reason that the President is a “very polarizing figure.” The congressman expected that Republicans will face even greater challenges because of that.

He said, "One of the challenges our party has faced is it's become, we have a much stronger base with older voters, and white voters, obviously.”

Moreover, Cong. Dent denounced the Trump campaign’s strategy of solidifying the traditional Republican voters but pushing away other voting blocks.

He said, "You clearly alienate a lot of Hispanic voters with [Trump's] comments on Mexicans and Latinos, and of course you have the Charlottesville situation.”

The lawmaker pointed out that "politics and getting elected is an exercise in inclusion and not exclusion." He warned the Republican Party against alienating potential voters by clinging too much to its traditional base.

Trump attacking GOP leaders is "just stupid"

In a separate interview with MSNBC, Cong Dent. said Pres. Trump is "not ideological. The litmus test for the Republican Party is loyalty to the man." He added that the President "going after after the leaders of your own party is just stupid."

Cong. Dent also acknowledged the fact that the President remains popular among the Republican base. However, he noted that the challenge among Republicans representing swing districts and marginal districts is attaching themselves to Pres. Trump. He said it is "not a smart thing to do" but the Pres. is probably an asset for candidate representing ruby red districts.