Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., announced Saturday that he would not seek re-election in 2018 _ a day after the House ethics committee said it would open an investigation into the freshman Democrat.
Two women have accused Kihuen of sexual harassment. He maintained his innocence in his retirement announcement.
"However, the allegations that have surfaced would be a distraction from a fair and thorough discussion of the issues in a reelection campaign," Kihuen said. "Therefore, it is in the best interests of my family and my constituents to complete my term in Congress and not seek re-election."
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan and House Minority Nancy Pelosi called for Kihuen's resignation two weeks ago when BuzzFeed published allegations against Kihuen from his time as a candidate. His former finance director accused him of touching her without her consent.
Kihuen has said the party campaign committee and Pelosi knew of the first accuser's allegations when he was running for Congress last year, which representatives of Pelosi and Lujan have disputed.
The Nevada Independent reported this past week that a second woman has accused Kihuen of unwanted sexual advances.
The DCCC removed Kihuen from its list of members in the "Frontline program" this month, but it had not ruled out independent spending on his behalf. Still, many Democrats had feared that he would not be able to win re-election if he were on the ballot.
Kihuen won Nevada's 4th Congressional District by 4 percentage points in 2016. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton carried the district by 5 points.
Without Kihuen, Democrats who could run for the seat include former Rep. Steve Horsford, who lost in 2014; state Sen. Yvanna Cancela, who holds Kihuen's old state Senate seat; state Sen. Pat Spearman; and North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee.
Republican Stavros Anthony, a Las Vegas City Council member, is already running. Former GOP Rep. Cresent Hardy, who lost to Kihuen last year, could also run.
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(Bridget Bowman contributed to this report.)
