Article snippet: Republican Rep. Ed Royce of California said Monday he will not seek re-election after serving out his 13th term in the House, the latest in a string of committee chairmen who have announced their retirement. Whether or not he sought re-election, Royce was stepping down as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee this year. He said he would spend his final year as chairman fully focused on the "urgent threats facing our nation." But it's also clear the congressman was facing one of the most challenging elections of his career. In last year's congressional Democrats to target Royce's district in Southern California as one they hoped to flip in their midterm effort to take control of the House. Royce won in 2016 with more than 57 percent of the vote, and Republicans hold a narrow edge in voter registration. Royce had appeared to be gearing up for another campaign: He had $3.4 million stockpiled in his campaign account as of September, the most recent numbers available. "It wasn't a re-election problem, that's for sure," said Republican National Committeeman Shawn Steel, who called Royce's announcement "a shocker." But the district, like much of California, has been growing increasingly favorable for Democratic candidates. The party holds every statewide office and controls both chambers of the Legislature by hefty margins. Trump lost the state in 2016 by more than 4 million votes and Clinton carried Orange County, once a Republican fortress, by nearly... Link to the full article to read more