US Representative Tim Murphy, a married anti-abortion rights Republican from Pennsylvania, announced he will retire at the end of his term.  This follows revelations he urged urged his former lover to seek an abortion.

"After discussions with my family and staff, I have come to the decision that I will not seek reelection to Congress at the end of my current term," Murphy said in a statement. 

While Murphy wasn't a huge name in the US Congress, he was a reliable vote for conservative causes - the far-right anti-choice group Family Research Council said he had a 100 percent anti-abortion voting record in congress.  Murphy was was a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus, and was backed by the National Right to Life Committee political action group.  Just this week, he co-sponsored a bill to put a ban on abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy (despite not having a uterus of his own).

But on the same day as the House vote, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published text messages from forensic psychologist Shannon Edwards.  Last month, Murphy admitted the two had an affair.

Edwards wrote:  "And you have zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options."

Murphy replied: "I get what you say about my March for life messages.  I've never written them.  Staff does them.  I read them and winced.  I told staff don't write any more.  I will."

Murphy says he will devote the rest of his time in Congress to working on mental health issues.  Despite the ignominious end to Murphy's career, Democrats don't expect to capture his seat in the staunchly conservative district.