photo by: John Hanna/AP File

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., speaks to Republican volunteers during a campaign stop with other GOP candidates, Nov. 7, 2022, at a restaurant in Topeka.

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection, citing his four young children and the busy schedule of Congress.

LaTurner, a Republican, currently represents Kansas’ 2nd District in the House of Representatives, which includes nearly all of Douglas County except for the area inside the Lawrence city limits. He served as the Kansas state treasurer from 2017 to 2021 and as a state senator from 2013 to 2017. LaTurner said he would finish out the term but not run as a candidate in 2024 or in state elections in 2026.

“Suzanne and I are the proud parents of four young children, and for us the busy schedule of serving in and running for Congress has taken a toll,” LaTurner said in a statement announcing his decision. “The unrepeatable season of life we are in, where our kids are still young and at home, is something I want to be more present for.”

LaTurner also mentioned “dysfunction on Capitol Hill” in his statement.

With his announcement, LaTurner joins a wave of Republicans leaving their positions after the party gained a narrow majority in the House. The chamber has seen the first ousting of a speaker in its history, weekslong GOP infighting over the speaker’s replacement and near shutdowns of the U.S. government, among other political turmoil.

LaTurner acknowledged these difficulties but said he was optimistic about the country’s future.

“Undoubtedly, the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill is distressing, but it almost always has been; we just didn’t see most of it,” LaTurner said. “I remain optimistic about the future of this country, not only because we have overcome more significant obstacles in the past, but that the vast majority of people I have served with are good and trying to do the right thing, and because our founders, divinely inspired, understood human nature and created this republic to endure.”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation, complimented LaTurner on his policy work.

“I commend Rep. LaTurner for his strong dedication to Kansas and appreciate his partnership on critical issues like affordable housing, broadband access and flood prevention,” Davids said. “Together, we also emphasized the cultural significance of the Quindaro Townsite and successfully secured federal investments to help repair the Cesar Chavez bridge, a vital roadway in our community. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

— Rachel Mipro and Tim Carpenter report for Kansas Reflector.