Washington, D.C. - Long-time Fourth District Congressman Doc Hastings of Pasco will retire from Congress at the end of year.

Already there is speculation about who will jump into the race on the Republican side next fall. One of the big names mentioned is Dan Newhouse of Mabton, former secretary of agriculture.

Grant County Republican Liberty Caucus leader Dani Bolyard, of Coulee City, said "it depends on who jumps in," as to who her group might support.

"Definitely someone conservative, who understands true liberty, and who won't keep voting us more into debt in this country," she said.

In making his announcement, Hastings said: "Last Friday, I celebrated my 73rd birthday and, while I have the ability and seniority to continue serving Central Washington, it is time for the voters to choose a new person with new energy to represent them in the people's house."

Hastings entered politics in 1974 when he was elected Franklin County Republican Party chair. An early supporter of Ronald Reagan, Hastings was chosen as a delegate for Reagan at the 1976 Republican National Convention.

Hastings served in the House of Representatives in the State Legislature from 1979 to 1987. In 1994, he was elected to Congress, beating Democratic incumbent Jay Inslee. That year Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years.

During his tenure in Congress Hastings has served on the House National Security Committee (1995-1997); House Natural Resources Committee (1995-present: Ranking Member 2009-2011, Chairman 2011-present); House Rules Committee (1997-2009); House Budget Committee (2001-2005); House Ethics Committee (2001- 2009: Chairman 2005-2007, Ranking Member 2007-2009); the Republican Steering Committee (2003-present); and as Assistant Whip (1999-present).

Hastings founded the House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus and serves as its chairman in order to better educate members of Congress and staff about cleaning up nuclear waste created by our nation's World War II and Cold War era nuclear weapons production program, including waste at the Hanford site, which is the world's largest and most complex environmental cleanup effort.