Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is one of the faces of the Democratic impeachment push against President Donald Trump.
But as the 10-term congressman prepares to run for his own re-election next year to hold California’s 28th Congressional District seat, he will need to face his 20-year old stance on the issue of impeachment.
During his first race for Congress in 1999, Schiff questioned whether the loyalties of then-Rep. James Rogan (R-Calif.) — his opponent — to his personal district had been replaced by Rogan’s leading of the Bill Clinton impeachment.
“I think a lot of people are unhappy that Jim Rogan has ignored the district for five years,” said Schiff at that time. He also stated that Rogan’s constituents had been “relegated to a lower-tier priority compared to the national, partisan agenda.”
Though other issues were more important to the race, Schiff targeted his opponent on the issue.
It became a major talking point of his campaign, such as when Schiff told NBC that Rogan was “more engaged in national ideological crusades than in the district.”
He also voiced his opinion that voters wanted someone who had a “good record of working in a bipartisan way to find solutions.”
The voters spoke — and, in the end, the Democratic candidate came out on top.
Schiff’s opponents are using this against him. Now, two decades later, his opponents are using his own argument against him, calling the House Intelligence Committee chairman a “total hypocrite” and a “national disgrace.”
Eric Early — Schiff’s leading GOP challenger – further cited Schiff’s historical impeachment opposition, and pledges to fix the problems of the district.
After “two decades of completely abandoning” the district and its voters’ needs, Early told Los Angeles County constituents that they “deserve better.”
Other candidates agree. Jennifer Barbosa, a fellow candidate in the race, agrees with Early.
She has said the congressman has not dealt with imperative concerns like homelessness in the 28th Congressional District.
While the district candidates prepare themselves for their upcoming campaigns against Schiff, the seated congressman has chosen to defend the current impeachment inquiry into President Trump — as well as the timing of announcing the articles of impeachment.
“We stand here today because the president’s abuse of power leaves us no choice,” Schiff said recently.
It remains to be seen how this will work out for Schiff in the end.
This piece originally appeared on ThePoliticalInsider.com and is used by permission.
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Report: Mitch McConnell Plans to Acquit Trump on Impeachment Charges
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