CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten on Monday declared that history is on the Democrats’ side as House Republicans are “running for the exits” and retiring in record numbers ahead of the midterms.
“You don’t run for the exits unless you know trouble is brewing. And House Republicans, so far, believe trouble is absolutely brewing,” Enten said.
Just days after Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) announced that he won’t seek reelection in November, Enten noted that he’s among three dozen House Republicans this election cycle who have (so far) announced that they will leave their seats at the end of their current terms, the highest amount since 1930.
That figure edges past the previous record set during President Donald Trump’s first term, when 34 House Republicans retired or sought other office in the 2018 midterm election cycle, which notably resulted in a blue wave.
Enten revealed that the party with fewer House retirements has gone on to win midterm election cycles a majority of the time (80%) since 1982.
