Rep. Diane Watson announces retirement, declines to endorse successor [Updated]

Ending more than three decades of public service, U.S. Rep. Diane Watson announced Thursday morning that she would step down from her congressional seat at the end of this term.

She declined to endorse a successor.

“I appreciate the trust … that you have placed in me,” said Watson, speaking at a Los Angeles news conference, flanked by community leaders including L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, LAPD Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger, school board member Marguerite LaMotte and the Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray.

Watson, a Democrat, said she was leaving to spend “quality time” with her mother, who just turned 100 and recently broke her hip.

The announcement capped a political career that began when she was the first black woman elected to the LAUSD school board and culminated with her election to the 33rd Congressional District. She was also the first black woman elected to the state Senate, in 1978.

Watson’s term ends in December. She said she wanted to look at all of the candidates in the race to succeed her before deciding whom to endorse.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) is widely expected to run for the seat but has declined to say whether she will do so.

[Updated at 5:24 p.m.: An earlier version of this post said Watson represented the 37th Congressional District.]

-- Jean Merl

Photo: Rep. Diane Watson reaches out to a well-wisher after she announced her retirement at her office on Wilshire Boulevard. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

 

Comments

[Norm Silver]

We're going to be free at last from the clenches of a politician who never would listen to the voters. The only thing that kept her in office was the incumbent advantage and some big money contributors.

[Bruce S]

Public service? What a joke. Diane made more money than she ever would have earned in the private sector. Not to mention the multiple pensions she will receive. Good riddance. We'll miss your race baiting and your expressions of admiration for Fidel Castro.

[LKF]

This is a great day for California. If we can just get rid of Waters, Waxman and Boxer........

[Steve]

Good riddance!!! Now an all out effort to keep Karen Bass from taking the seat!!! Really people she would be way worse than this outgoing knucklehead.

[Aaron K. McNeil]

Thank God!!! Maybe we can get someone in there that will listen to the will of the people, and is not such cooke

[thiacyn]

Posted by LKF~This is a great day for California. If we can just get rid of Waters, Waxman and Boxer........ You took the words right out of my mouth!!! If Mass can get rid of this scourge then we can in Cali and take it back to the "Golden State", for the people! I can't wait for Waters to get the boot! Just a thang in a CoCo suit, and we are left with the 2000.00 $ bill!

[swf]

There's this sudden wave of long-term politicians without anything to show for their so-called years of "service" retiring and noticing, as if for the first time, that they suddenly miss their families. Worthless hacks to be replaced by new worthless hacks.

[Sally]

Wow! This is a great day. Perhaps Pelosi and Boxer will follow suit.
After 30 years, what has she left:
1) Misery for the seniors, including her 100 year old mom. Low payments on social security unlike her mega deal premium and cushy retirement.
2) Plans to tax the American people on their health care benefits - In her 30 years allowed health care benefits to become too restrictive and allowed health care premiums to soar.
3) Plans to cut medicaid for seniors.
Yeah - she has to step out of government "service" as she forgot to take care of our seniors and now must do it herself because the government does not care for senior citizens, including her mom.
She needs to realize she failed the American people.

[AntiScreed]

WEEEE HAWWWWWWW!! Don't let the door hit your ass as you leave darlin'!!!!!

[Joe]

Public Service?? Mooching of the taxpayer and being a racist is nowadays called a public servant...

[el chapulin]

So she's going to retire to her country house in Cuba? Adios and don't let the door hit your behind on the way out. Timely retirement too. Another Democrat who "retires" ahead of the November elections. She saw the writing on the wall.

[Sue Kamm.]

One way I judge a representative is by their response to constituents. Watson never replied to my email comments.

[nag]

Send her to jail where she belongs. She kept getting elected because her constituency liked the color of her skin and the fact that she wanted to "stick it to the man!" At least her leaving, no matter who replaces her, will increase the average IQ of Congress. Now if Maxine Waters, Laura Richardson and the Sanchez sisters would also retire, then there would be a huge jump in the average Congressional IQ.

[UnGalan]

Please, please, please, let a Latino run for this seat.

[You Know Me]

Bass wants just wants the seat for her own political agenda related to gay rights.

[Philbomb]

"Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) is widely expected to run for the seat but has declined to say whether she will do so."
I wouldn't vote for Bass to be a dogcatcher. She has been instrumental in the states governmental gridlock, and budjet woes.

[Chuck]

Watson is a good representative. She's been around, knows how things work, and knows when to change her position. You don't like Democrats, fine, but Diane knows how to stay no top of things. Its Maxine Waters you need to dump. The only thing she knows how to do is get re-elected, run her mouth, and cash a paycheck. Try to name an issue she's been on the right side of before somebody told her how to vote.

[michael]

What? Has Fox News and the Rush sharrots (half sheep and half parrots) taken over the Times Comments? Welcome to the Middle Ages. Got your loin cloth and club?

[Cmotajr]

Thank god. I look around and see if anything she has done to my community that is good, and I can honestly say NO!! Now another loser Bass is gonna run . Please someone else step up and do something good for my community.

[michael]

33rd District not the 37th.

[P J Evans]

If she's leaving at the end of her term, then she isn't resigning; she's not running for re-election.

(This isn't a six-year Senate term, it's a two-year House term, and I expect a newpaper like the Times to know this and write accurately.)

[sethook]

Wonder if the resignation was to prevent an upcoming investigation into her and her husband's financial dealings as part of the Obama give a way program. Hope she will be replaced by someone who has a genuine interest to serve the people and will keep race out of the every decision effecting them. She's been at the Federal trough too long and has done very little to show for her attendance.

[Linda]

Good riddance to bad rubbish!

[GEAH]

One of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress...and that's according to CREW, a liberal organization. This retirement came 33 years too late for America.

[socaljed]

Thank God this nut job is leaving.