HOUSE OF REPS/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) admitted that a nude picture of him circulating online is authentic and apologized to his constituents…
The longtime congressman, the ninth most-senior member of the House, told the Tribune he is considering his political future, after announcing plans to seek reelection just three weeks ago. His suggestion that he is rethinking his reelection bid is sure to reverberate through the Capitol.
Barton, one of the House’s most conservative members, began his tenure in 1985 and has represented the Dallas suburbs since. Barton’s statement came just days after the Dallas Morning News ran an upbeat profile under the headline ‘Why Rep. Joe Barton sticks around as other Texas kiss Congress goodbye.’…
Barton’s uncertain future follows a Texas exodus that began when GOP Reps. Jeb Hensarling and Lamar Smith announced plans to exit at the end of their terms. Smith, like Barton, started his congressional career in the 1980s, and Hensarling started serving in 2003. Rep. Ted Poe, another Texas Republican who’s been in Congress since 2005, also announced his retirement earlier this month.
Barton’s is one of just 10 remaining House Republicans who began his tenure in the 1980s, and he’s the fifth-longest-serving Republican overall. He’s previously been the chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee and a vocal conservative voice on energy policy. He’s also a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.”
-Kyle Cheney, “GOP congressman Barton apologizes for nude selfie,” Politico, Nov. 22, 2017 02:24pm