House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said Thursday he feels he could win re-election, but he chose to retire at the end of his current term so he could concentrate on his duties as a chairman rather than spend his time campaigning for office.
"I've got one year left in this term as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee," the California Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "As you know, we put in term limits for our chairmen. I'm at the end of that term. I now have an opportunity, I could go out and campaign, you know, 100 percent of the time, or I could focus on my work here on the Foreign Affairs Committee."
There are serious national security issues going on, including with North Korea and Iran, he continued, and "there is so much work to be done on the foreign affairs front."
Royce's decision means 32 House Republicans are not seeking re-election, but he said Thursday he believes the strength of the economy and reforms being put into place now that will make 2018 a good year for Republicans.
"I know the old adage about a president's party in power in mid-term elections often loses seats, but I see so much positive economic growth in the country, so many jobs being created, I think the Republicans will do well," Royce said.
Royce on Thursday also discussed the ongoing matters on North Korea and Iran, saying the United States must keep up pressure on both countries.
"You have to have a credible deterrent, and in addition to the credible deterrents which we're exhibiting here, you have to have that sustained pressure that comes from sanctions and our diplomatic efforts," said Royce, while talking about North Korea. "We have to keep up the pressure and this is part of it."
He does believe North Korea is happy to exchange in talks, if only to stretch out the clock and to get concessions in exchange for promises that history shows the country has never kept.
"We have to be very, very careful in terms of how we deal with North Korea," Royce said. "I am for increasing the sanctions and the pressure on them at this time and sending this credible deterrent."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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