Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher has announced he will not seek reelection following controversy over his decision not to support the impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Gallagher’s conclusion comes in the wake of dissatisfaction expressed by GOP leaders in his home state.
In an interview, Rep. Gallagher mentioned his sense of achievement in his congressional role, stating, “I really just feel like I’ve accomplished much more than I even thought I could when I set out, and I firmly don’t believe that the best use for the next chapter of my career is staying in Congress for another decade.”
He emphasized that although his career may take a new direction, his commitment to preventing global conflict, particularly in avoiding a potential war with China, remains unwavering.
The backdrop of Gallagher’s political decision is an attempted impeachment that took place on Tuesday. The call to impeach Secretary Mayorkas—centered around the handling of the border crisis—failed to secure sufficient votes within Congress, with only three Republican representatives, including Gallagher, voting against it. Gallagher later defended his vote in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal.
However, the response from his party at the state level has been less than supportive. A memo from two Wisconsin GOP county chairman expressed their deep dissatisfaction with Gallagher’s stance, which was at odds with the constituents’ views. The memo underscored a missed opportunity for unity within the party ranks and contained a blunt assessment of the representative’s actions as “disappointing.”
