Rep. Charlie Rangel To Announce His Last Campaign

Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel, 83, will announce that his 2014 bid will be his last.

“Rangel is hoping that he will get more support for re-election by promising this will be his last term — and that party leaders will allow him to step down in dignity then, rather than backing a challenger now,” said one source.

Rangel, who has represented Harlem since 1971, was barely re-elected in 2012 after his district was redrawn, making it 55 percent Hispanic and 27 percent African-American (as opposed to 80 percent African-American before). Rangel defeated State Senator Adriano Espaillat in the primary by less than a thousand votes.

Espaillat is gearing up to run again, and his supporters will surely question Rangel’s motives. “Promising to retire is a stunt,” said one. “He can always change his mind.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.