Tony Cárdenas Reveals He’s Not Running Again

(USNewsBreak.com) – When it comes to Congress, a few notable lawmakers have made their careers serving their constituents. For instance, Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), 60, started his political career in the California State Assembly in 1996. The lawmaker recently revealed he will not be seeking reelection in 2024.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Cárdenas said that his time in Congress is coming to an end. For the “first time in 28 years,” his name will not appear on a ballot. The lawmaker said he’ll probably use his “energy and experience to maybe do something [different]” that doesn’t entail traveling to DC to work 32 weeks each year.

U.S. Congressman Tony Cárdenas held a press conference on Monday in which he announced that he would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2024. https://t.co/SrqNHjgPiW

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 21, 2023

While Cárdenas hasn’t alluded to what his future career plans might entail, he does have an eye out for someone he believes will be a good fit for California’s 29th district: Luz Rivas, 49, who currently serves as a state Assemblymember. Cárdenas was the first Latino to represent the district, but he’s backing Luz to follow in his wake. In a ringing endorsement, Cárdenas said, “She gets things done,” and he is “proud to support” her Congressional run. His current California district remains a blue stronghold; it’s just a matter of who will win the seat.

The lawmaker served in the California State Assembly from 1996 to 2002. Then, he served on the Los Angeles City Council for eight years, from 2004 to 2012, after which constituents elected him to the House. During his tenure in the Lower Chamber, Cárdenas served on a number of committees, notably the Committee on Energy and Commerce and a few subcommittees.

Cárdenas joins a long list of Congresspeople who won’t be seeking reelection next year. Among those are Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN), 54, Michael Burgess (R-TX), 72, Ken Buck (R-CO), 64, Kay Granger (R-TX), 80, Anna Eshoo (D-CA), 80, and embattled George Santos (R-NY), 35. In the Senate, both Mitt Romney (R-UT), 76, and Joe Manchin (D-WV), 76, made headlines with their announcements.