Bold take: Retirement announcements from Congress signal a reshuffling moment that could redefine control of the House in 2026. As the midterms approach, a steady stream of exits from both parties—whether to pursue higher office, retire, or leave early—creates a visible churn that experts watch for clues about the electoral landscape ahead. In a year when the incumbent president’s party often bears the brunt of midterm losses, tracking which Republicans and Democrats bow out offers a lens into who might fill open seats and which districts could flip. This isn’t just a list of names; it’s a barometer for strategy, fundraising, and the battle to maintain (or regain) favorable majorities.
What follows is a snapshot of the House landscape as 2026 looms, focusing on members who have publicly said they will not return to Congress. The rationale for each departure ranges from retirement to seeking other offices or stepping down mid-term, illustrating a wide spectrum of motivations that shape political calculations across the aisle.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas
- Date of announcement: Dec. 5, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Doggett, who has served a long tenure representing an Austin-area district, will leave after this term. He pointed to recent court decisions that rearranged Texas districts in ways that favored Democrats as part of his decision.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Nov. 29, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Nehls announced his retirement after three terms and endorsed his twin brother Trever as his successor. A Trump-aligned figure since his initial election in 2020, Nehls sat on a select committee related to Jan. 6 before that lineup was altered.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 21, 2025
- Reason: Resigning
Greene, once a staunch Trump ally, revealed plans to resign in January 2026 after a high-profile public clash with the former president over policy and governance. Since entering Congress in 2020, she has been a lightning rod for controversy and a vocal MAGA advocate.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 21, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Swalwell announced a gubernatorial bid in California, an open-seat contest in a state where Democrats hold a broad majority. His move shifts a San Francisco–anchored district into new boundary configurations while staying firmly in Democratic hands overall.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 20, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Velázquez, a veteran of New York politics and the second-longest-serving member of her delegation, cited the need for generational change and to mentor the next wave of leaders as she steps away. Her district covers parts of northeast Brooklyn and western Queens.
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Nov. 11, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Arrington, a fiscal hawk and Budget Committee chair, chose to retire and left open the path for his successor in a district that stretches across large portions of western Texas.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 10, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Watson Coleman, a longtime figure in New Jersey politics and the first Black woman elected to Congress from the state, indicated that this term would be her last, citing a desire for renewal in the delegation.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 7, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Stefanik, who rose quickly within the Republican leadership, launched a campaign for governor of New York after the 2025 election, stepping away from her House role to pursue statewide office.
Rep. Jesús García, D-Ill.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 6, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
García filed for Illinois’ 2026 primary while also confirming he would not seek a seventh term in his Chicago-area seat, citing health considerations for himself and his wife as factors in the decision.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 6, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Pelosi announced she would retire after nearly four decades in Congress, concluding a storied career that included guiding landmark legislation and steering the party through multiple presidential administrations.
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine
- Date of announcement: Nov. 5, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Golden, a moderate who often bucked party lines, said his district’s intense partisanship and personal safety concerns contributed to his decision to leave after this term.
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa
- Date of announcement: Oct. 28, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Feenstra joined the wave of Iowa Republicans aligning with statewide races, signaling a broader reshuffle as the governor’s race and other contests draw attention.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.
- Date of announcement: Oct. 15, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Moulton disclosed his intention to challenge Sen. Ed Markey, arguing for a fresh face in a cohort that shapes Massachusetts’ Senate landscape.
Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Oct. 6, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Hunt declared a bid for the Senate, aiming to contrast with John Cornyn and other contenders, and emphasizing loyalty to Trump as a central theme of his campaign.
Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz.
- Date of announcement: Sept. 30, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Schweikert, a longstanding Republican with a record of support for Trump, cited governance challenges in Washington as motivation to run for Arizona’s governorship.
Rep. Thomas Tiffany, R-Wis.
- Date of announcement: Sept. 23, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Tiffany entered the Wisconsin governor’s race, highlighting rural representation and alignment with a broader Republican gubernatorial slate.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Sept. 14, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
McCaul warned about escalating threats to national security, signaling a shift as a veteran foreign-policy hawk departs while steering toward broader strategic concerns.
Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Sept. 11, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Luttrell cited a wish to spend more time in Texas and reflected on recent natural disasters as a moment of clarity prompting departure from Congress.
Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa
- Date of announcement: Sept. 3, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Hinson announced a bid for Senate, positioning herself as a top ally to President Trump in the upper chamber, a move that would reshape Iowa’s delegation.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.
- Date of announcement: Sept. 1, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Nadler, a veteran Democrat and longtime chair and later ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, signaled the end of a defining era for New York’s delegation.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas
- Date of announcement: Aug. 21, 2025
- Reason: Running for Texas attorney general
Roy stepped toward the attorney general race, continuing his role as a provocateur within the party while shifting to a statewide office.
Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala.
- Date of announcement: Aug. 12, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Moore announced a campaign to succeed Sen. Tuberville, threading his path through the Trump-aligned lane of the Republican Party.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
- Date of announcement: Aug. 4, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Mace, who has navigated shifting district dynamics since 2020, left the House to pursue the South Carolina gubernatorial race, potentially reshaping South Carolina’s congressional map.
Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill.
- Date of announcement: July 31, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Davis, a veteran representing Chicago’s southern and western neighborhoods, joined a wave of Illinois departures after a long tenure and evolving district dynamics.
Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga.
- Date of announcement: July 28, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Collins announced a bid to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff, marking a significant Senate contest and prompting anticipations about Georgia’s 2026 political balance.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.
- Date of announcement: July 25, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Norman joined a crowded field for governor, reflecting South Carolina’s evolving gubernatorial landscape and intra-party competition.
Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Pa.
- Date of announcement: June 30, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Evans, who first won election in 2016, cited a steady history of Democratic representation in his Philadelphia district as he steps away after a lengthy career.
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.
- Date of announcement: June 30, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Johnson’s departure aligns with South Dakota’s broader gubernatorial interest, setting the stage for a competitive governor’s race.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.
- Date of announcement: June 30, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Bacon emphasized a bipartisan approach amid growing partisanship and expressed optimism about keeping the seat in 2026, arguing that Republican prospects remain favorable.
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga.
- Date of announcement: May 8, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Carter joined the Georgia Senate race, seeking a higher-profile role while arguing for a strong MAGA-aligned agenda in the upper chamber.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.
- Date of announcement: May 7, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Krishnamoorthi joined several Illinois Democrats aiming for Durbin’s seat, reflecting ongoing turnover in the state’s delegation.
Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill.
- Date of announcement: May 6, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Kelly announced a bid for Durbin’s Senate seat, continuing Illinois’ pattern of retirements and Senate campaigns among its representatives.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
- Date of announcement: May 5, 2025
- Reason: Retiring
Schakowsky, first elected in 1998, retires after one of the most reliably Democratic districts in Chicago’s orbit, closing a long chapter in the 9th District.
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn.
- Date of announcement: Apr. 29, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Craig’s decision to run for Senate could reshape Minnesota’s delegation, elevating a district that has trended more Democratic in recent cycles.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich.
- Date of announcement: Apr. 22, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Stevens, who helped flip Michigan’s districts to Democratic control, is pursuing a Senate bid that would influence Michigan’s 2026 races.
Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky.
- Date of announcement: Apr. 22, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Barr’s move to the Senate race in Kentucky sets the stage for a national contest as Republicans seek to field strong candidates in a competitive year.
Rep. John James, R-Mich.
- Date of announcement: Apr. 7, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
James’ foray into Michigan’s gubernatorial race leaves a cowed but dynamic district open for Democrats to target amid statewide contest dynamics.
Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.
- Date of announcement: Apr. 3, 2025
- Reason: Running for Senate
Pappas announced a bid to replace a retiring senator from New Hampshire, continuing a trend of House members moving to the Senate in battleground states.
Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn.
- Date of announcement: Mar. 20, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Rose entered Tennessee’s governor’s race, bringing a business-centric, pro-Trump stance into a high-stakes statewide contest.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.
- Date of announcement: Feb. 25, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Donalds, a prominent Trump ally since 2020, launched a gubernatorial bid, signaling the next phase of Florida’s political competition.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.
- Date of announcement: Jan. 22, 2025
- Reason: Running for governor
Biggs’ exit from the House ushers out a vocal defender of Trump’s line on multiple fronts, as he pursues the Arizona governor’s race with Trump’s broad endorsement behind him.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.
- Date of announcement: Nov. 28, 2024
- Reason: Running for governor
Sherrill, who had announced a run for governor, completed a rapid transition that culminated in resigning in late 2025 to pursue the state-level post.
In short, the pattern is clear: a mix of retirements and strategic moves into state-wide offices or governor’s races across both parties. These shifts create open seats and realignments that could determine which party gains ground in 2026. The implications extend beyond individual candidacies; they reflect broader questions about party direction, generational change, and the balance of power in a deeply polarized era. As these transitions unfold, the public dialogue will likely intensify around who steps up to lead in Congress and who seeks impact from the statehouse in the years ahead.
