Waxman's retirement will have a resonating impact on Congress. (gpoaccess.gov)

Even though, to some, it seems as though Henry Waxman has been in Congress forever, his seniority and lack thereof in an election should not be underestimated. The ripple effect of his retirement could be great. Waxman’s announcement comes on the heels of Rep. George Miller’s - 12th Congressional District - decision to not seek re-election. Miller’s retirement would have made Waxman the most senior member of California’s Congressional delegation, having been elected in 1974. That also means there will be no one in the delegation who was in the federal government during and around the time of Watergate.

This retirement could make it an even harder task for Democrats to win the 17 seats necessary to take back control of the House of Representatives. The latest retirement is one of several in recent months and puts Waxman in the company of other representatives such as Carolyn McCarthy and Bill Owens of New York, Jim Matheson of Utah and Mike McIntyre of North Carolina.

Waxman is also the ranking member on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which means he is the top Democrat. Because he will not be on Capitol Hill for the 114th Congress, the West Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach areas, among others will no longer have a representative who is as important or as influential as he was. In 2010, as chair of the committee, Waxman played an important role in passing the Affordable Care Act.

In his retirement statement, Waxman called the passage of the ACA "one of my lifelong dreams."

Waxman is also a leader in the push to make people aware of the harm of climate change and ways to address it. He is chair of the Safe Climate Caucus.

In the same statement, Waxman said, "I am not leaving out of frustration with Congress," but "after 40 years in Congress, it’s time for someone else to have the chance to make his or her mark, ideally someone who is young enough to make the long-term commitment that’s required for real legislative success."

The Congressman’s retirement opens the door for more well-known candidates to run because they will not be facing an incumbent, which comes with advantages and also means they will not have to worry about running against an ally.

One well-known name being tossed around to be considering a possible run would be County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. Observers immediately thought of the 65-year-old because he is termed out of his 3rd District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which happens to be in Waxman’s district.

In a Thursday morning article, Steve Lopez wrote that “[Yaroslavsky’s] only official comment Thursday morning was that he’s still considering the political implications of Waxman’s announcement.” Joel Bellman, the supervisor’s press deputy, did not return to Neon Tommy’s request for comment.

Lopez’s article also raises the thought of the possibility that Sheila Kuehl and Bobby Shriver may choose to run for the Congressional seat instead of Yaroslavsky’s.

Neon Tommy also reached out to Assemblyman Steven Bradford’s office - 62nd District - because he will be termed out after he finishes he current stint and State Senator Ted Lieu’s office - 28th District - because he is running for reelection to his current post.

Mayor Eric Garcetti released the following statement on Waxman’s announcement:

"Congressman Henry Waxman is a legendary lawmaker and one of the finest champions for Los Angeles.  His incredibly compassionate heart drove him to improve our city and our nation, and his work on generic drugs, clean air, and tobacco – just to name a few – were profoundly impactful and have saved millions of lives.  On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, I want to thank Congressman Waxman for his service and I hope he enjoys some well-deserved time off."

Reach Senior Reporter Max Schwartz here. Follow him on Twitter here.