California's Cardoza resigns from House, citing family issues ...

WASHINGTON -- Citing sensitive family needs, U.S. Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., has tendered his immediate resignation from the House of Representatives. The surprisingly timed departure takes effect at midnight Wednesday.

A veteran San Joaquin Valley politician first elected to the House in 2002, the 53-year-old Cardoza had announced previously that he wouldn't run for re-election. While citing toxic partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill, he primarily attributed his speeded-up timing to growing burdens on the home front. "In light of the fact that nothing is going to happen for the rest of the year, and in light of the fact that (my wife) and I are facing increasing parenting challenges, this seemed the right time to make this move," Cardoza said in an interview Monday. Cardoza and his wife, Kathleen McLoughlin, have three children: a biological daughter and two adopted siblings. The adopted children, a brother and sister originally from Kern County, Calif., joined the Cardoza household in 2000 after living in foster homes. They now are teenagers. Cardoza has previously spoken publicly, in general terms, about the dangers posed to foster-care children who are exposed at young ages to unstable households and drugs such as methamphetamine, and he's won bipartisan praise for legislation he's introduced to address some of the related problems. He said his children's privacy rights prevented him from offering more details about their current status. Other lawmakers have made similar choices, underscoring the tension between family life and the long hours and constant travel endemic to Congress. Last month, similarly citing an unspecified "family health issue," Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., announced his immediate resignation. Joe Scarborough, who is now an MSNBC personality, cited his children in 2001 when he resigned five months into his fourth House term as a Florida Republican. Although Cardoza's wife, who is a physician, and children moved several years ago from Merced County, Calif., to join him in a rural Maryland residence, he's largely continued to make cross-country treks every week. Often, this has meant flying to California on Friday and returning on a red-eye flight Sunday night, arriving back on the East Coast early Monday morning. "It's incredibly difficult to work the hours required, especially coming from a Western state," Cardoza said. The timing of Cardoza's resignation means there will be no special election to fill his 18th Congressional District seat, which encompasses parts of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties. His office staff will remain, taking care of constituent services but steering clear of political advocacy. Cardoza informed most of his staffers of his resignation plans in an emotional telephone conference call Monday. His departure leaves House Republicans with a 240-190 majority over Democrats, with five House vacancies. By most political assessments, Republicans are favored to retain control of the House after the November elections. Cardoza had announced last October that he wouldn't run for re-election, after the bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission carved the San Joaquin Valley into new House districts. The redistricting essentially left Cardoza the choice of retiring or facing off against his longtime friend and ally, U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif. "Dennis has always brought candor and dedication to finding real solutions that will be sorely missed in Congress," Costa said in a statement Tuesday. A senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, and a onetime member of the extended House leadership team, Cardoza said some job feelers were extended to him soon after he announced his retirement plans. He said he didn't pursue the opportunities at the time. On Monday, he expressed interest in perhaps serving on some corporate boards and in investment banking; he played his other career cards close to his chest, though new announcements may be imminent. "I'm not leaving my service to the Valley," Cardoza said. "I'll just be doing it from a different venue." Cardoza entered his political career as a staffer for former state assemblyman and later Rep. Gary Condit. Although their relationship soured when Cardoza challenged a politically weakened Condit in 2002 - the two men haven't spoken in the past 10 years - Cardoza retained several key Condit staffers, and on Monday he offered praise for his onetime mentor. Like Condit, Cardoza for a time led the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate-to-conservative House Democrats who sought the center even as party leaders came from the left. As a member of the quietly powerful House Rules Committee from 2006 to 2010, he described his role as bringing centrist positions into play. "The Democratic leadership worked with him, and even depended on him, at all levels," former House majority whip Tony Coelho said. The House is currently out on summer recess. It's expected to be in session for only about seven working days in September, and then will adjourn again in October so members can campaign. A lame-duck session will occur between November and January, though with uncertain prospects for finishing any work.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/14/3762115/californias-cardoza-resigns-from.html

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