Rep. Charlie Dent’s retirement leaves GOP centrists without a clear leader
In
Riding through his
From this platform Dent, 57, became a rarity in
So on Thursday, when he announced that he will not seek reelection, the move immediately reverberated beyond
Dent, after all, was the third moderate House Republican to choose to step aside as the party braces for difficult 2018 elections, saddled with an unpopular president and the traditional backlash that often hits any party controlling the
In addition, another cochair of the moderate
And in
While some other
With nearly seven terms in office and a leadership post on the powerful
"That is probably his irreplaceable value," said Costello, a fellow
Who can fill that role now? "I don't know," Costello said Friday, though he predicted that other voices would emerge.
"Charlie's probably leaving at the peak of his influence," said Rep.
Some political analysts argued that Dent's departure reflects a party pulled farther and farther from the center.
"It's not like a Republican party that consists of a significant number of moderates and a larger number of conservatives," said
Even most of the 50 or so lawmakers in the
Lawmakers willing to accept imperfect compromises to advance legislation "are dwindling," said former
Dent argued that he was holding true to conservative values in that he believed in incremental -- not radical -- change, measured tones, and stability. As he felt those values diminish, particularly in the
"I often felt that the party was defined by the loudest, shrillest voices," he said back in May. "Silence is consent."
Those same concerns echoed through Thursday's retirement announcement, which complained of "disruptive outside influences that profit from increased polarization and ideological rigidity."
"It's fair to say that there was some frustration," he said in an interview that night. "Basic acts of governance are becoming extraordinarily difficult."
Several
"I don't think it means we're diminished in any way, because you still have your voting card, right?" Costello said.
Rep.
"I told him this morning I was sad to see him go," said Rep.
Other
Dent said he announced his retirement now to clear the way for other "credible"
He conceded, however, that it will be a difficult seat to hold, especially in the face of a political environment that could be "analogous" to the wave elections of 1994, 2006, and 2010. His district includes more registered
Ironically, it will be
While
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