Dem
51
GOP
49
Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) is at the top of his career. As chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, he managed to pull off the impossible: He got Secretary of DHS Alejandro Mayorkas impeached on Tuesday, even though Mayorkas hasn't committed any high crimes or misdemeanors, as required by the Constitution. With his crowning achievement now completed, Green felt he could hang up his hat, so yesterday he announced that he will be retiring from Congress at the end of this term.
Green is the fourth committee chair to call it quits. At 59, and from a red district (R+10), he could have served for another 20 years or more, including another stint as committee chairman. What is going on with so many retirements? Normally, people in positions of great power don't throw in the towel so easily when reelection is easy. Green said that he is disgusted with the way Congress works, but as a member of the Freedom Caucus, Congress' dysfunction is partly his own fault. He gave a vague hint that his time in public service may not be over yet. Since both of Tennessee's senators are Republicans, moving over to the other end of the Capitol seems unlikely. Perhaps he is thinking of running for governor when Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) is term-limited in 2026. That would be an option. (V)