Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) officially submitted his resignation letter on Friday, as he leaves Congress to go lead the American Jewish Committee.
Deutch, who first began serving in Congress in 2010, announced in February that he was leaving the lower chamber to become CEO of the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy organization.
The Florida Democrat’s resignation takes effect at close of business on Friday, and he is slated to assume his new role on Saturday. He resigned roughly three months before his term was set to expire.
Once he departs the lower chamber, the party breakdown will be 220-212 in favor of Democrats — shrinking their margin to just three votes.
In a tweet on Friday, the outgoing congressman wrote “My last day in Congress…” and linked the song “One Last Time” from the musical “Hamilton.”
Deutch reflected on his more than 12 years in the House in a farewell letter.
“When I was first elected to serve as your Representative over twelve years ago, I promised to represent your interests in Congress as best I could. I arrived in Washington in 2010, the lone freshman member in the middle of the 111th Congress. I never could have expected then how many of you I would meet, how many of your stories would shape our nation’s policy, and how many victories we would achieve together as a community,” he wrote.
Perhaps one of the events Deutch will be remembered most in connection to is the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which is in his district. He mentioned the massacre, which killed 17 people, in his farewell letter.
“Even more important than our accomplishments are the moments that led to them: the moments we truly came together as a community,” the outgoing congressman wrote.
“There was the horrific day on February 14th, 2018, when 17 members of our community had their lives cut short in a senseless act of violence. What the people in our community—especially the young people—did after that tragedy was unforgettable, not only for all of us in South Florida, but for our entire nation. You created a sense of community and empowerment that shaped our national discourse, and you raised your voices, together, to speak out to prevent the next tragedy,” he added.
The Florida Democrat credited the activism of his constituents with helping push Congress to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act this year, marking the first time in almost three decades that Congress approved significant legislation to curb gun violence.
President Biden signed the bill into law in June.
“It was because of your activism and your support for one another that Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act this year, the first major gun safety law in 30 years,” Deutch wrote. “Your voices transformed the way gun violence and school safety are viewed across the country, and we are not done feeling the impact of this community’s efforts.”
Deutch’s district — which was previously the 22nd but became the 23rd following redistricting — will be without a representative in the House until January, when the winner of a November election will assume the seat. Former Florida state Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D) is running against entrepreneur Joe Budd (R).
Cook Political Report rates the seat “solid Democrat.”