Tim Murphy Resigns

Rep. Tim Murphy, the embattled anti-abortion lawmaker who allegedly encouraged his mistress to terminate a pregnancy, resigned from office Thursday — just 24 hours after he  announced he would retire after 2018:

“This afternoon I received a letter of resignation from Congressman Tim Murphy, effective October 21,” Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement. “It was Dr. Murphy’s decision to move on to the next chapter of his life, and I support it.”

Politico reports the Pennsylvania Republican’s resignation came after House GOP leaders and senior Republicans upped the pressure on Murphy to step down.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Murphy announced his retirement saying he would “take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties.”

According to the Allentown Morning Call, with Murphy’s resignation Pennsylvania is expected to have at least four open U.S. House seats on the ballot next year, all of which are held by Republicans:

• PA11 Rep. Lou Barletta is challenging Sen. Bob Casey;
• PA15 Rep. Charlie Dent is retiring; and
• PA10 Rep. Tom Marino has been tapped – but not yet confirmed — to become the Trump administration’s drug czar.

Murphy was serving his eighth term representing the PA18 district in southwestern Pennsylvania, including parts of suburban Pittsburgh. The district is a safe Republican seat which President Donald J. Trump won the race by 20 points in 2016.

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