Georgia Republican Barry Loudermilk won’t seek reelection to US House

Georgia Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk Announces Retirement from Congress

Representative Barry Loudermilk of Georgia announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection to Congress this year, adding to the growing list of House members departing the chamber ahead of the 2024 elections.

Loudermilk, 62, who has represented Georgia’s 11th Congressional District since 2015, cited a desire to spend more time with his family as the reason for his departure. “I first ran for election to Congress in 2014 and, as I stated then, representing the people in Congress is a service, not a career,” Loudermilk said in a statement. “And although I continue to have strong support from the people of the 11th Congressional District, I believe it is time to contribute to my community, state, and nation in other ways.”

The congressman’s decision marks the 50th House incumbent to announce they are either stepping down or seeking another office this election cycle, signaling significant turnover in the lower chamber. His departure adds to a significant reshuffling of Georgia’s Republican congressional delegation this year.

Loudermilk’s northwest Georgia district, which includes all of Bartow, Gordon and Pickens counties and parts of Cherokee and Cobb counties, is considered a Republican stronghold. The Cook Political Report ranks it as the fifth-most strongly Republican district among the nine held by the GOP in Georgia, making it likely to remain in Republican hands after the November election.

In recent years, Loudermilk has become a prominent figure in challenging Democratic-led investigations into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He faced scrutiny from the House January 6 committee for giving a tour of parts of the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, the day before the insurrection. The committee suggested some tour participants may have been examining security measures, allegations Loudermilk vehemently denied, calling it a “smear campaign.”

After Republicans regained control of the House, Loudermilk took on a leadership role in efforts to counter the previous investigation. He led a subcommittee that released a report alleging former Representative Liz Cheney, a Republican who served on the January 6 committee, acted improperly and should be investigated for criminal witness tampering. Currently, he chairs another subcommittee charged with further investigating the events of January 6.

Before his congressional career, Loudermilk served in the U.S. Air Force and built a foundation in Georgia politics. He chaired the Bartow County Republican Party before spending six years in the Georgia state House of Representatives and two years in the state Senate.

Georgia’s congressional delegation will see significant changes in 2024. In addition to Loudermilk’s retirement, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from her seat in January, triggering a March special election. Two other Republican representatives, Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, are vacating their seats to run for the GOP’s U.S. Senate nomination, hoping to challenge Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.

The wave of congressional retirements reflects broader political dynamics, including redistricting, political polarization, and the challenges of serving in a closely divided Congress. Many departing members have cited the increasingly hostile political environment and desire to pursue other opportunities as factors in their decisions.

As the filing deadline approaches for candidates seeking to replace Loudermilk, political observers will be watching closely to see who emerges in the race for this reliably Republican district. The primary election will likely determine who will represent the district in the next Congress, given its strong Republican lean.

Loudermilk’s retirement marks the end of a nearly decade-long tenure in Congress where he established himself as a conservative voice and, more recently, as a key figure in Republican efforts to reframe the narrative around the January 6 Capitol attack.