Oregon 52nd District State Representative Jeff Helfrich announced he will not seek another term as House Republican Leader.  The Hood River resident was narrowly reelected to his seat in last week’s election, holding off Democrat challenger Nick Walden Poublon by at last count 1,281 votes.  Helfrich cited in a press release the desire to spend more time with his family, particularly in the wake of the recent death of his father.  However, in a letter Helfrich wrote to his House colleagues obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, he said his time as leader took a toll on him, and what he was not prepared for was the endless drama within the GOP caucus, adding those fights were tougher than those with Democratic leadership.  He wrote that he thought of the caucus as a team and he was the captain, and instead he found himself playing a solo in the band and his own teammates heckling him along the way.  Helfrich goes on to say in the letter that if they want to win, they need to be united.