Dave Reed has announced that he is withdrawing from the congressional race in 2018.
Reed, the current State House Majority Leader, had announced a run for the US Congress seat that would be vacated by Bill Shuster in January, but a few weeks into his run, the State Supreme Court issued a ruling that the US Congressional Districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans, and the maps drawn by the State Supreme Court would put Indiana County in a 13-county district. Reed decided to continue forward with his run and said at his campaign kick off that he was done with his time in the State House no matter what happens. With the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the redrawn districts, Reed made the decision to step down Tuesday morning.
In a statement made on his campaign’s Facebook page, Reed said that he knew the year would be a life-changing one for him and his family, but they thought the change would be brought on by the voters and not by the Supreme Court. We talked with Reed and he said that one of the major considerations to run and not to run was his family, saying that the 9th District would have allowed him to not only serve the district, but also be able to be home to raise his children, but with the newly-redrawn 15th district, Reed said that with Indiana being in the southern-most region of the district, having to go to DC and then going as far north as the New York Border, it would be impossible to be a good Congressman and a good father.
Reed has been in the state house since 2002 when he was elected over Sara Steelman, and in 2014, he was named House Majority Leader.
Here is the statement from Reed’s Campaign Facebook page:
“When our family made the decision to enter the race for Congress in January, we knew this year would be a year of change for us.
Little did we know that most of that change would be determined, not by the voters, but by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court drawing Indiana County out of the 9th Congressional District and the United States Supreme Court allowing their actions to stand.
I have been so blessed to represent our community in Harrisburg from such a young age and to serve our state as the Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the last 3 years; both are experiences I am forever humbled and thankful to have had in my life.
Although the politics of the present day in our country has become much more divisive and negative than I would prefer; I remain an idealist at heart, who still believes good people working together, can and still do, make a difference in these crazy times.
One of core foundations of my faith is based the very simple realization that although we may make and prepare the plans for our journey through life with the best intentions; that journey is not always ours to dictate, but instead is in the hands of our creator who knows the best journey forward for each of us.
With the finality of the court decisions, my time in elected official will conclude this year and 2018 will truly be a new beginning for our family. We will remain forever grateful to our family, friends, and supporters in Indiana County and throughout the entire state for making this journey possible.
Congress may not be in our future, but we are excited to explore what opportunities may be. Thank you to all who have made this chapter in our lives a reality, you will forever have a special place in our hearts.”
