Democrat House Representative Resigns Early From Congress

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, North Carolina, G.K. Butterfield speaks at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 6, 2012. Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) announced Friday he resigned early from Congress, just days before his term would have come to an end on Tuesday.

A member of the House since 2004, Butterfield did not run for reelection during the 2022 midterms. He told local media Friday that he’s beginning his employment at a Washington law firm and will perform lobbying and policy work.

“I’m beginning a new job tomorrow,” he told WRAL-TV. “It’s another phase of my professional life, so I’m looking forward to it,” the outgoing congressman said. “It will be a slower pace.”

Starting Saturday at midnight, Butterfield will no longer represent North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, he said.

“It has been my high honor and privilege to represent the people of North Carolina for more than 18 years,” Butterfield said in a letter read that was read on the House floor on Friday.

Previously, Butterfield said that he would not say which law firm he would be joining. A one-year wait is required under the law before Butterfield can lobby Congress, but Butterfield told The Associated Press he expects to do lobbying work connected to the executive branch.

“I will be a senior advisor there,” Butterfield told the News & Observer newspaper. “There will be dozens of associates in the firm and many of them are engaged in lobbying and so I will give them advice and counsel on effective lobbying both at the federal and state level.”

In late 2021, Butterfield announced his resignation and indicated he wouldn’t be seeking reelection. At the time, the former head of the Congressional Black Caucus criticized the new congressional district map that was drawn by the state legislature.

“The map that was recently enacted by the legislature is a partisan map. It’s racially gerrymandered,” Butterfield said in November 2021. “It will disadvantage African-American communities all across the first congressional district.” He added that “I have made the difficult decision that I will not seek reelection to the United States House of Representatives.”

Despite Butterfield’s claims about voter disenfranchisement, his seat was ultimately won Rep.-elect Don Davis (D-N.C.), who is black. Davis, a state senator, will be sworn in on Jan. 3 when the new Congress convenes.

Republicans were able to secure a slim House majority during the Nov. 8 midterms. Currently, Republicans have 222 seats to Democrats’ 212 seats in the lower congressional chamber.

Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last year called Butterfield “an esteemed and effective leader” and “a lifelong advocate for civil rights” after his resignation announcement.