In an announcement that was surprising to everyone except his constituents in South Carolina's 3
rd District, Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan announced Wednesday he was stepping down after 14 years in office.
Duncan's stalwart conservative voting record had next to nothing to do with his exit. Rather, several Palmetto State sources insisted to Newsmax, it was all about a venomous divorce the congressman is currently undergoing with his now-estranged wife of 30 years, Melody Hodges Duncan.
His announcement brings to 45 — 26 Democrats and 19 Republicans — the number of U.S. representatives leaving the House this year, either by retirement, pursuit of another office, or, in the case of disgraced New York Republican George Santos, expulsion.
"Duncan is in a public relationship with Liz Williams, a Jackson, Mississippi, native and former National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbyist who has allegedly been involved in multiple extramarital extracurriculars in our nation's capital," reported the South Carolina-based FITS News. "However, divorce filings against the congressman claim he committed adultery with 'at least one other woman.'"
Because of the controversy fueled by the Duncan affair (including reports of his making electronic payments to one of his alleged girlfriends), the congressman chose the better part of valor rather than face what was sure to be a vigorous primary challenge.
Within an hour of his announcement, state Sen. Richard Cash of Anderson County, also considered a strong conservative, was reportedly eyeing the race for the now-open 3rd District. Virtually all South Carolina Republicans who spoke to Newsmax said there will be a multicandidate field in the primary scheduled for June 11.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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