Amid sexual harassment claims, Rep. Kihuen says he won’t seek re-election in 2018

ABC News(WASHINGTON) — Facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment, Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.) has announced his decision not to seek reelection in 2018.

“The allegations that have surfaced would be a distraction from a fair and thorough discussion of the issues in a reelection campaign,” Kihuen said in a statement Saturday. “Therefore, it is in the best interests of my family and my constituents to complete my term in Congress and not seek reelection.”

On Friday the House Ethics committee announced their intention to launch an investigation into allegations made against Kihuen. The freshman Democrat has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual misconduct.

“I want to state clearly again that I deny the allegations in question. I am committed to fully cooperating with the House Ethics Committee and I look forward to clearing my name,” Kihuen said.

In the statement, Kihuen, 37, says he will serve the duration of his term.

A former Kihuen campaign aide, known only as “Samantha,” told a mid-level aide at the DCCC she had quit her job because then-candidate Kihuen made her “uncomfortable,” BuzzFeed reported. On Saturday, the Nevada Independent reported that a 24-year-old lobbyist says Kihuen “made unwanted overtures and asked overly personal questions of her this fall while his campaign was a client of her firm.”

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