House faces mass exit with nearly 10% forgoing reelection

The Congress during President Donald Trump’s final two years in office will look a lot different than the current one.

House lawmakers are resigning from Congress at a record rate, with 40 members — roughly 10% — passing on running for reelection in 2026. More lawmakers are expected to call it quits in the coming weeks as members return home and discuss reelection plans over the Christmas holiday.

Though Senate retirements are on par with the 2024 cycle, the House of Representatives is experiencing the largest departure rate at this point in more than a decade, according to analysis from Ballotpedia.

At this point in December 2023, there were just 30 House retirements. During the 2018 election cycle, when Republicans shed 42 seats to lose control of the lower chamber, just 32 lawmakers had announced their decision to leave their seats as of December 2017.

Republicans lead Democrats in retirement announcements 23 to 17, according to data compiled by The Downballot. In prior election cycles, the party in control of the White House tends to see retirements spike in the lead-up to the midterms.

Redistricting decisions in Texas and California, and the potential redrawing of congressional maps in Florida and Virginia, could spur additional retirements.

Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Mark Green of Tennessee both chose to resign rather than serve out their full term.

In positive news for Republicans, the bulk of GOP retirements so far are limited to safe red seats. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a vocal Trump critic, is the sole retiring GOP lawmaker whose battleground seat is expected to flip to Democratic control during the midterms.

The majority of Republicans leaving Congress are running for another office, including senator, governor, and state attorney general.

These members include Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Elise Stefanik of New York, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina who are departing the House to seek office in their home states.

Four Texas Republicans, Reps. Morgan Luttrell (50), Jodey Arrington (53), Troy Nehls (57), and Michael McCaul (63) are calling it quits rather than seek reelection in 2026. Their retirements are notable since all four members are relatively young and were not threatened with serious primary challenges.

Nehls’ retirement announcement drew attention due to his immediate endorsement of his twin brother to succeed him in Congress. The three-term lawmaker is a staunch supporter of Trump’s policy agenda.

“I’ve got this guy. He’s a good-looking guy. He looks a lot like me,” Nehls said Wednesday, referencing his twin brother, Trevor Nehls, who jumped into the race to succeed him eight days before the filing deadline closed.

Trump quickly endorsed Trevor Nehls to represent the safely red Houston-based seat.

Amid the Democratic Party’s ongoing reckoning with age, many senior Democratic lawmakers have announced decisions not to seek reelection. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (85) and Reps. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois (81), Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey (80) and Nydia Velázquez (72), and Jerry Nadler (78) of New York are not seeking reelection during the midterms.

Former Pelosi deputies, Democratic Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland (86) and Jim Clyburn of South Carolina (85) have not disclosed their reelection plans.

On the GOP side, some senior members have filed to run for reelection during the midterms. Republican Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers, 87, and Texas Rep. John Carter, 84, are seeking reelection in 2026.

“Judge Carter has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday.

Caden Olson contributed to this report.

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