New York Dem Gary Ackerman Retires After Redistricting

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Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) announced Thursday night that he is retiring, after having served in Congress since a 1983 special election.

As Roll Call reports, Ackerman’s retirement is in large part a product of redistricting:

Ackerman, serving his 14th full term, represents portions of Queens and Long Island. But, in a redistricting map likely to become law, his district was essentially dismantled and his home was drawn into the same district as Rep. Steve Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Ackerman had earlier announced that if a map drawn by a court was to become law, he would run in the open 6th district. That proposed New York City majority-minority district is now an open seat, which leans heavily toward Democrats.

Instead, Ackerman has opted to retire after nearly three decades in Congress.

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