evidence: Trey Gowdy is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of South Carolina. He served from 2011 to 2019. On January 31, 2018, Gowdy announced that he would not seek re-election. He said, "There is a time to come and a time to go. This is the right time, for me, to leave politics and return to the justice system."[1] [...] On January 31, 2018, Gowdy announced that he would not seek re-election. He said, "There is a time to come and a time to go. This is the right time, for me, to leave politics and return to the justice system."[1] [...] Gowdy was one of four members of congress who ranked 80th in the conservative rankings in 2011.[135]