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- GOP Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio announced Thursday he is not running for reelection in 2022.
- Gonzalez was one of 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of impeachment, drawing Trump’s ire.
- Gonzalez called Trump a “cancer for the country” in an interview with The New York Times.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, a Republican from Ohio, announced Thursday he would not be running for reelection in 2022.
Gonzalez, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of impeaching former President Donald Trump, said the decision was based on what was best for his family, but that the current political environment also played a role.
“While my desire to build a fuller family life is at the heart of my decision, it is also true that the current state of our politics, especially many of the toxic dynamics inside our party, is a significant factor in my decision,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
Gonzalez, who is married with two young children, said the decision was “the best path for our family.”
Gonzalez came under fire from Trump after voting for impeachment in January after the Capitol insurrection. The former president has indicated he will play an active role in the 2022 elections to unseat Republicans who voted against him and replace them with pro-Trump candidates.
In February, Trump endorsed Gonzalez’s primary challenger, Max Miller, who worked for Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and as a White House aide.
“Current Rep. Anthony Gonzalez should not be representing the people of the 16th District because he does not represent their interest or their heart,” Trump said in a statement at the time. “Max Miller has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
At a June rally in Wellington, Ohio, Trump again harped on Gonzalez’s decision to vote for impeachment.
“He’s a sellout, he’s a fake Republican and a disgrace to your state. He’s not the candidate that you want representing the Republican Party. … Every single Republican needs to vote him out of office,” Trump said.
In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Gonzalez called Trump “a cancer for the country.”
He said he believed he could’ve survived the primary challenge from Miller, but that he didn’t want to be a part of the GOP if it’s going to continue centering Trump.
Gonzalez also told The Times he had an “eye-opening” moment when he and his family needed extra security from police officers at the Cleveland airport after the impeachment vote: “That’s one of those moments where you say, ‘Is this really what I want for my family when they travel, to have my wife and kids escorted through the airport?'”
Gonzalez, 36, was elected to represent Ohio’s 16th district in 2019, and will leave after serving two terms.
Trump has also endorsed a primary challenger to Rep. Liz Cheney of Ohio, another Republican who voted in favor of impeachment.
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