Rep. Lamar Smith, a 16-term member of Congress from Texas, announced his retirement at the end of his term. Politico: Smith's 21st District, which takes in parts of Austin and San Antonio as well as rural counties to the west, has been solidly Republican in the past. Mitt Romney won nearly 60 percent of the vote there in 2012. But Trump got 52 percent to Hillary Clinton's 42 percent in the district in 2016, and several Democrats saw an opportunity to challenge Smith before he announced his retirement. One Democrat, veteran Joseph Kopser, outraised Smith in the third quarter and has over $219,000 in his campaign account. "The people of Texas are losing a dedicated public servant and skilled legislator, but we are confident they will select another conservative Republican like Chairman Smith who shares their values," said National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers (R-Ohio). Smith is just the latest in a slew of GOP House...(Read Full Post)