He said, “With this in mind, and with the support of my wife Marie, I have decided not to seek re-election in November.”
Political observers believe that Cong. Royce will likely face a tough fight to win another term because his district becomes more competitive. The election in his district is one of the top ten House races to watch. California’s 39th district is one of the targets of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for 2018.
GOP will defend California’s 39th district
Following the announcement of Cong. Royce’s decision to retire, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) thanked him for his service. The NRCC also vowed to defend his now-open seat in California’s 39th district.
In a statement, NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers said, “Ed Royce is a lion in the House—serving his country with distinction…”
He added, “Republicans are fired up and ready to hold this seat. Orange County has no shortage of Republican talent and a highly organized ground effort with the NRCC at the forefront. We have just one message for Democrats who think they can compete for this seat: bring it on.”
