Matt Rosendale announces retirement from House, cites death threat and ‘defamatory rumors’

Rep. Matt Rosendale announced Friday that he is retiring from Congress at the end of the year.

His decision follows a whirlwind month where Mr. Rosendale announced a long-awaited bid for the Senate, dropped out after former President Donald Trump endorsed his GOP primary opponent, and then launched a reelection bid for his seat in Montana’s 2nd Congressional District.

In abandoning his bid for a third term in the House, Mr. Rosendale cited a death threat against him and an unsubstantiated allegation that he had gotten a staff member pregnant.

“I have been forced to have law enforcement visit my children because of a death threat against me and false and defamatory rumors against me and my family,” Mr. Rosendale said in a statement. “This has taken a serious toll on me and my family.”

“To me, public service has truly always been about serving, not titles or positions of power,” he said. “The current attacks have made it impossible for me to focus on my work to serve you. So, in the best interest of my family and the community, I am withdrawing from the House race and will not be seeking office.”

The lawmaker faced a handful of challengers in the GOP primary, including elected officials in Montana and former Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg, who served as the state’s lone representative for over a decade.

Mr. Rosendale’s exit comes after he and seven other lawmakers made history when they ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October, which put Congress in a nearly month-long standstill before electing House Speaker Mike Johnson.