Congressmembers Seek D.C. Relief by Running for Governor

Fully half of the 18 members leaving the House next year jumped in order to run for governor in their states, looking to trade in legislative gridlock for executive orders — and the chance to play a dominating role in redrawing their colleagues’ districts in four years.

One House member, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), has since dropped out of the governor’s race in his state. But even so, more representatives are already seeking governorships than the seven who ran in 2010, the last time there were as many open gubernatorial races as there will be next year. A handful of others are also mulling runs of their own.

But most of the aspiring governors are vacating the comfy confines of safe congressional districts for what, historically, has been a bad bet. The last time this many sitting representatives ran for governor, in 2006, twice as many lost as won.

Lawmakers are motivated partly by the quest for more power – being one in a village of 435, especially in the Democratic minority, only gets you so far. They are also seeking the chance to assist or resist the Trump administration, depending on their party, in implementing new policy throughout the states.