Democratic San Mateo Rep. Jackie Speier announced Tuesday morning that she would not be running again for her position in the 2022 election.
In an interview with KCBS Radio’s Holly Quan and Dan Mitchinson on Tuesday, she said that the decision was made because it was time, "to pass the torch to the new generation," she said.
According to Speier, her husband is now retired, and she no longer wants to be a "weekend wife."
Speier has had a storied career spanning several decades, representing people on the Peninsula and San Francisco.
"Hopefully I’ve created a path for others to follow," she said. It was "such a privilege" doing this work for so long, she added.
Currently, Speier is championing childcare legislation, and she’s proud of her past work on making the military more responsible for its population, from mental health to sexual assault.
She made her official announcement on Twitter, noting that this week would be the 43rd anniversary of when she was gunned down in Guyana with Bay Area Congressman Leo J. Ryan. While working as his aide, they flew down to assess the risk level of former Bay Area residents now involved in the Peoples Temple cult, known as Jonestown, headed by infamous leader, Jim Jones.
As their party was leaving after the visit, cult members panicked, and shot at them. Speier sustained five bullet wounds, she said. Several others were injured. Ryan succumbed to his injuries.
"I vowed if I survived, I would dedicate my life to public service," she said. "I lived, and I served."
After 40-odd years working in Congress, she is looking forward to starting a new chapter of her life. "It’s time for me to come home," she said.
But she still has another year left, she noted, and would continue to fight for her constituents’ interests. She urged viewers to remember that democracy is fragile, and should be protected.
She also vowed to continue to be part of the conversation. "It doesn’t mean I won’t be involved in the community," she said on KCBS Radio.
Speier would not yet name a possible successor.
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