Two Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Gwen Graham of Florida, are being watched as potential retirees from Congress, political strategists tell Roll Call. In Florida, a proposal to re-draw congressional district boundaries would make Graham’s district “too Republican for her to carry, likely forcing her to vacate her seat,” says Roll Call. Graham defeated second-term Republican Steve Southerland, an advocate of large cuts in food stamps, by less than 1 percentage point in the Florida Panhandle district which includes Tallahassee.
“On the Democratic side, all eyes are always on Rep. Collin C. Peterson. One of the last surviving Blue Dogs, Peterson has won re-election year after year, even in his GOP-leaning district, and is likely the only Democrat who could pull off that feat,” said Roll Call. Peterson, 71, won his 13th term with 54 percent of the vote and says he is running for another term. An accountant by training, Peterson is the Democratic leader on the Agriculture Committee.
So far, 27 representatives have announced their departure from the House, 12 to run for the Senate. Retirees include three Agriculture Committee members: Republicans Randy Neugebauer of Texas, Chris Gibson of New York state, and Dan Benishek of Michigan.