Rep. John Fleming M.D. (R., La.) said that Rep. Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.) told him he plans to retire after completing his term in Congress and move back to South Carolina to be with his family in an interview Wednesday on C-SPAN .
"He wants to go back to South Carolina, and God bless them for that," Fleming said while on Washington Journal.
When asked to clarify his comment on Gowdy’s retirement, Fleming confirmed that the chairman of the Select Committee on Benghazi told him he will go home once his work is done investigating former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
"Is that what Congressman Gowdy told you? That he plans to go home?" Washington Journal host Greta Brawner asked.
"Yes. He wants to finish his work on the Benghazi Special Committee, but he loves South Carolina, he loves his family, and he wants to go back and spend the rest of his life there," Fleming said. "Like I said, I respect him and he will be sorely missed."
Gowdy has not announced any decision to retire coming into Wednesday morning. Wildly popular with conservatives, Gowdy was being recruited to make a run for House Majority Leader. Gowdy announced he would not seek the post of Majority Leader, saying that he is dedicated to completing his investigation with the Benghazi Committee.
"I’m not running. I’m staying on the Benghazi committee," Gowdy said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. "One hundred percent, I am staying on the Benghazi committee."
UPDATE 10:30 A.M.: Gowdy's communications director Amanda Duvall responded, "He has not made any announcement on 2016."
A spokesperson for Fleming told the Free Beacon the congressman may have "jumped the gun" with his comment this morning. The spokesperson said Gowdy announced his plan to retire to the House GOP conference in a meeting Tuesday night.
UPDATE 12:48 P.M.: Fleming released a statement indicating he misinterpreted what Gowdy said.
"I commend Rep. Trey Gowdy for the yeoman’s work he’s doing for the good of our country as Chairman of the Select Committee on Benghazi. I’ve apologized to Trey privately for having misspoken on his future plans, but wanted to make this apology public. After speaking with him, I do believe that he will be running for re-election. I know Trey intends to fulfill his work on the Select Committee, which may extend beyond this Congress."