Congressman Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania’s 9th District announced on Tuesday that he’s not seeking re-election in November.
“It was a difficult decision because of my love of this Nation and the people I serve,” Shuster said in a statement. “Rather than focusing on a re-election campaign, I thought it wiser to spend my last year as Chairman focusing 100% on working with President Trump and my Republican and Democratic colleagues in both Chambers to pass a much-needed infrastructure bill to rebuild America."
Shuster is the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and has been representing the district since 2001. His father, Bud Shuster, held the seat before him since 1973.
Rep. Charlie Dent, of the 15th District, praised Shuster for his "positive impact" on Twitter. Dent announced last September that he won't seek re-election either.
Hours after Shuster's announcement, Art Halvorson, a retiree of the U.S. Coast Guard and a businessman from Bedford, announced he will run for the seat. Halvorson ran against Shuster in the 2016 Republican primary and lost by one percent.
Halvorson said he would like to bring changes to the political establishment, pointing to the Shuster family occupying the seat for decades.
"It’s really been ruled like a monarchy," Halvorson said.
He aligned himself with President Trump, saying he will drain the swamp and bring back traditional American values.
“America has a golden opportunity to reclaim its greatness, but President Trump urgently needs other outsiders like him to enter Congress and help him,” Halvorson said.
With Shuster retiring, four out of 18 Congressional seats in Pennsylvania will be open in midterm elections this year.
