Sex harassment charges torpedo Democratic rising star
Nevada Rep. Kihuen denies claims but will not seek re-election next year
Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., will not seek re-election next year amid allegations that he sexually harassed women, making him the seventh — and youngest — member of Congress felled by reports of misconduct since October.
Once considered a rising star in Democratic politics, Kihuen announced Saturday that he will leave Congress at the end of his first term.
“I want to state clearly again that I deny the allegations in question,” Kihuen, 37, said in a statement. “However, the allegations that have surfaced would be a distraction from a fair and thorough discussion of the issues in a reelection campaign. Therefore, it is in the best interests of my family and my constituents to complete my term in Congress and not seek reelection.”
The announcement, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, came the day after the House Ethics Committee said it had launched an investigation into Kihuen’s behavior. He plans to cooperate with the probe and looks forward to “clearing my name,” according to his statement.
Kihuen’s plan to not seek reelection is the latest sign of the reckoning over sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill. Leaders are grappling with how to address an increasing number of accusations against members and staff, as well as how to improve the system for reporting workplace violations in congressional offices.
Kihuen has been accused of making unwanted advances toward an employee on his 2016 congressional campaign and a lobbyist during his time as a state legislator.
After the first report, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called for him to step aside.
“I’ve asked for him to resign. I’ve asked for him to resign right from the start,” Pelosi said Thursday at a news conference.
BuzzFeed reported that Kihuen’s former campaign finance director, identified only as “Samantha,” said he propositioned her for dates and twice touched her thighs without consent.
When the story came out, Kihuen apologized for any behavior that made the woman feel uncomfortable.
The second set of allegations came from an unnamed lobbyist, who told the Nevada Independent that Kihuen touched her thighs and buttocks without consent and sent her hundreds of suggestive text messages, which the Independent reviewed. The lobbyist said the two never dated.