United States Representative Ed Whitfield, now former Congressman of the First Congressional District, which takes in Clinton County, notified Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and House Speaker Paul Ryan that he was resigning as First District Congressman on Tuesday, September 16, 2016 at 6 p.m.

The move effectively means the district, until a special election in November, will have no official representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Whitfield’s letter to Gov. Bevin reads:

“It has been my honor and privilege to have represented constituents of the First District of Kentucky in the U.S. Congress for the last almost 22 years.

As you know, I did not seek re-election to Congress this year and have now decided to submit my resignation as the Congressman of the First District of Kentucky.

I have enjoyed serving with you and wish you and your Administration the very best!. This the (Monday) August 29, 2016.”

The decision by Whitfield apparently came as a total surprise to most, prompting questions and speculation as to why he decided to retire with only three months left on his final term, which would have ended in January 2017.

According to an article published in the Wednesday, August 31 edition of the Lexington Herald-Leader, the article said that (Governor) Bevin said he will call a special election Tuesday, November 8 to fulfill the remainder of Whitfield’s term. The special election is the same day as the general election between Republican James Comer of Tompkinsville and Democrat Sam Gaskins of Hopkinsville. That means Comer and Gaskins will likely appear on the ballot twice, one for the remaining months of Whitfield’s term and once for a new, two-year term that begins in January. The winner would be sworn in as soon as the results are verified.

Whitfield announced his retirement last year after a House Ethics Committee investigation, according to the Herald-Leader story. The committee found that, although unintentional on Whitfield’s part, he violated House rules for allowing his wife, a Humane Society lobbyist, to contact his staff about a bill he sponsored to ban “soaring,” which involves walking horses to produce an exaggerated, high-stepping gait.

U.S. Senator Mitch MConnell, Senate Majority Leader, issued the following statement regarding Whitfield’s resignation:

“For more than two decades, Congressman Ed Whitfield served the people of Kentucky’s First District with distinction. During his tenure in Congress, Ed has fought hard for the people of western Kentucky and it has been an honor working alongside him on a variety of issues, including our support for the workers at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and for men and women serving our country stationed at Fort Campbell. I am thankful for our many years of friendship, and Elaine and I extend every best wish to Ed, Connie and the entire Whifield family in the years ahead.”

Whitfield was first elected to Congress back in 1994, when Republicans took back control of the U.S. House of Representatives in a “between Presidential” election cycle and was re-elected each time since, usually without much opposition from either political party.

The First Congressional District takes in several counties, with Clinton and Cumberland counties being the closest areas to the “central” part of the district. The majority of counties in the district are in the western portion of the state, which was significant in some ways with Whitfield’s win almost 22 years ago. Prior to that time, the Democratic Party had basically controlled the Congressional seat in that general area of Kentucky.

With the apparent “special election” in November, the winner of the race between Comer and Gaskins, once election results are certified, will likely be the U.S. Representative in Congress through December of 2018.

Additional information on how the November 8 general election ballot will appear to Clinton County voters will be published in a later issue of the Clinton County News.

U.S. Congressman Ed Whitfield, right, shook hands with Bozie York after a Town Meeting setting at the courthouse in 2014.