Albio Sires will not seek reelection for Congress: 23 Democrats leaving

The veteran Democratic Congressman Albio Sires announced his retirement from the House of Representatives this week. He has served as congressman since 2006 first as a representative for New Jersey's 13th District and then for the 8th District of the same state.

I have made the difficult decision to not seek reelection in 2022 and retire at the end of the 117th Congress. See my full statement: https://t.co/HOhbRaBfDg

— Albio Sires (@RepSires) December 21, 2021

“Working for the residents of New Jersey, and in particular the 8th Congressional District, has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Sires in a statement.

“As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I consider the recent passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the billions of dollars we are delivering to fix New Jersey’s infrastructure, including the Gateway Project, as the capstone to a career of service. I’m also incredibly proud to have voted for the transformational Build Back Better Act, a historic investment in our nation’s future.”

In the statement, the representative reminisced over his political career as mayor and legislator. He was the first Hispanic Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly. During his time at Congress, his priority has always been working families, supporting an increase in the minimum wage, creating affordable housing, and increasing funding for public education and health sector research, he said.

Although his time in Congress will end soon, his commitment to the country, the state, and the city that welcomed him and his family "when we fled Cuba" will remain firm, Sires said.

“As we look forward to the second session of this Congress, I will continue to fight for policies that will improve the lives of hardworking New Jerseyans and I look forward to remaining active in Hudson County, especially my hometown of West New York,” he added.

Sires was born in Bejucal, Cuba. He fled with his family to West New York in 1962. He obtained a scholarship at St. Peter’s College and received a Master’s from Middlebury College. He was a teacher and businessman before he became a public servant.

He currently serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the House Committee on the Budget, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he is also the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy.

Following the announcement of Sires’ retirement and other Democrats who will also not seek re-election next year, Robert J. Menéndez, son of New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez, may lead the field of hopefuls to replace Sires, reported media outlets.

Sires previously replaced the elder Menéndez in the House of Representatives after he was appointed to serve in the Senate, The Hill reported.

Most of the Democrats in Hudson County favor the 36-year-old Menendez as the Democratic candidate in that district, said The Hill.

Sires has also "expressed his support for the young man to succeed him," which would lengthen the "Menéndez dynasty" in politics, wrote Politico. 

“In Congress, Sires, like Menendez Sr. — who’s also of Cuban heritage but was born in the U.S. — has been a vocal critic of the Castro regime,” said the article.

Menendez Jr. is a lawyer who has never run for public office. However, Politico claims he has the support of a key local power broker: Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack, who has voter influence in the city.

“While some Hudson County Democrats don’t like the idea of such an important office going to someone who was not been politically active until recently, they’re unlikely to challenge the state’s senior senator if he weighs in heavily in favor of his son,” said Politico. “Shoring up support among Hudson County’s various and sometimes-fractious Democratic power brokers would make Menendez Jr. the heavy favorite to win the district. But he would almost certainly face a challenge from the party’s left flank, which is already expressing distaste at the thought of a political dynasty.”

“I can guarantee that the progressives will not sit out the race. Who that candidate will be, I ultimately can’t say,” said Hector Oseguera, who unsuccessfully challenged Sires in the 2020 Democratic primary. “I can tell you Albio would like to put someone else in there because he has his own heir apparent, but the Menendezes have a lot of power in Hudson County, and this is Bob Menendez calling in his power.”

With the announcements of Lucille Roybal-Allard and Albio Sires, 23 House Democrats are leaving office. Of these representatives, 15 are retiring, four are running for the U.S. Senate, and four are seeking other elected office positions, the New York Post said.

"The Democrats' pre-Christmas nightmare in the House just keeps getting worse," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Berg said in a statement. "No one wants to run as a Democrat because they know voters reject their push to defund the police, raise taxes and open the borders.”