Absent 83-Year-Old Democrat Announces Retirement From House

Democratic Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson announced her retirement from Congress on Friday following several weeks of absence from Capitol Hill.

Wilson previously committed to running for reelection despite missing several consecutive votes while she recovered from eye surgery. After consistently missing House votes and committee hearings, Wilson told the Miami Herald it was time for her to retire.

“I think it’s time, and I think I really held on as long as I did because of the 5000 Role Models program, and my concern about the future of it,” Wilson told the outlet.

Wilson previously maintained that she would run for reelection, though she confirmed to local allies on Saturday that she would step aside, according to Axios. However, she told Axios in a later statement that day that her retirement is a “crazy rumor.”

The Florida Democrat told the Miami Herald that she had made her decision a while ago, but she kept quiet to be “politically strategic” about it.

“I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do? What would they say? Would District 24 be an easy target because Frederica is no longer there? I’m a strong candidate,” Wilson continued. “With me not here, would that weaken the survival of District 24?”

Wilson missed every House between April 20 and May 20, but reappeared in Washington last week, according