GOP Congressman Announces Abrupt Resignation – Blue Wave Keeps Going

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Donald Trump never brags about anything without adding that, whatever it is he’s claiming to have done, he’s done it bigger and better or more than “ever before in history.” So far, the only record he really holds is in the number of resignations by government officials under his presidency.

On Thursday, Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) announced that he is resigning from the seat he’s held for five consecutive terms after being reelected in November 2018 and sworn in just a handful of days prior to his resignation to take a job in the public sector. A resignation that comes this soon into a congressman’s term is highly unusual, but Marino offered no further details about his motive for the decision.

ABC News reports that:

‘The 66-year-old former county and federal prosecutor was one of Trump’s earliest supporters in Congress. Trump nicknamed Marino and former Rep. Lou Barletta “thunder and lightning” when they co-chaired his campaign in Pennsylvania.

‘Trump nominated Marino in 2017 to become the nation’s drug czar, but Marino withdrew his name from consideration after reports he played a key role in a law that weakened federal power to stop companies from distributing opioids.’

Pennsylvania requires a special election when a congressman resigns inside of allowing for the appointment of a new one by the governor. That special election is likely to be rife with chaos should the government shutdown not end before the election begins.

It’s unlikely that the seat will be lost to Republicans, but House elections were won in November at unlikely rates and under unlikely odds.

‘Marino’s resignation is likely to set off a furious scramble to secure votes among the committee members of the state Republican Party who will select a nominee to run in the special election.

‘The sprawling district covers all or parts of 15 counties. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats there by nearly 100,000.’

Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license