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Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) decision to leave the U.S. Senate and run for governor of Alabama has stirred fresh attention not just for his political ambitions, but for what it reveals about the growing discontent in Washington.
According to NOTUS congressional reporter Daniella Diaz, who spoke on MSNBC’s Way Too Early with Ali Vitali, Tuberville is part of a broader trend: lawmakers fleeing the dysfunction of Capitol Hill for executive roles back home.
“I want to pivot a little bit to that news about Tommy Tuberville running for governor back home in Alabama,” said Vitali during Wednesday’s segment. “But this is something that we end up seeing people leaving office and running for other positions… It’s not just Tuberville, it’s Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO), but then there’s also a bunch of House members who have higher aspirations as well.”
Diaz agreed, pointing to a deeper issue behind the headlines. “Exactly, Ali. I mean, it’s really interesting. They won’t publicly say it, but I talk to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on both sides every day, and it’s just a very not fun place to work these days,” she said to Raw Story.
The frustration runs deep, and it’s bipartisan. Diaz explained that both Democrats and Republicans are increasingly discouraged by gridlock, infighting, and the general dysfunction that has come to define Congress particularly during the Trump era.
“And they will tell you that, some of them even on the record, but for the most part, they’re trying to figure out what they can do other than being in Congress when it’s so dysfunctional,” she continued. Diaz emphasized that for many lawmakers, the prestige of serving in the Senate or House has diminished in recent years.
“But it’s important to note that these members really don’t love what they’re doing on Capitol Hill,” she said. “It’s been really difficult for them on both sides; Democrats in the minority seeking office elsewhere, Republicans saying, you know, this is actually a lot harder than what I thought it would be. Let me go seek higher office elsewhere.”
She concluded with a warning: “And this won’t be the last announcement we’ll see in the next two years before the next election.”
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