Congressional retirements are increasingly drawing attention as a barometer for potential churn ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, according to reporting that tracked retirement announcements across both major parties. With Republicans holding a razor-thin margin in the House, the pattern of GOP departures has become a focus for party strategists attempting to maintain control, while Democrats have viewed open seats and departures as opportunities to reshape their own path.
The announcement timeline includes major senior figures. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said he would end his long career when his current term ends, an announcement dated Jan. 8 in the reporting, after a political tenure that began with a 1981 special election and included leadership roles including twice serving as House majority leader.
Hoyer’s planned exit comes alongside other Democratic retirements that include lawmakers from the Texas delegation and New York. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, announced on Dec. 8 that he would pursue a judicial position in Tarrant County, and the reporting said he later dropped out of that race. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, announced on Dec. 8 that she is running for Senate, pursuing the seat held by Republican John Cornyn, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.
The reporting also lists Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, whose Dec. 5 retirement announcement cited the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the state’s new district map that merges two Austin-area districts favorable to Democrats. Doggett’s account, as summarized in the report, also referenced his earlier call in 2024 for President Joe Biden to step down as the party’s nominee, citing Biden’s debate performance.
On the Republican side, the departures include moves aimed at statewide races and open-seat opportunities. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., announced on Dec. 23 that she is running for Senate after the prior retirement announcement by Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, and the reporting said Hageman received Trump’s endorsement within hours. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., announced on Dec. 17 that he is retiring, with the report noting that his departure would leave only one House GOP backer of Trump’s impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot whose House seat is potentially still in play.
Several of the announcements in the tracking report were dated in late November and early December, including high-profile GOP decisions. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced on Nov. 21 that she would end her congressional career in January 2026 after what the reporting described as a transformation from Trump loyalist to one of his harshest critics. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, announced on Nov. 29 that he would retire after three terms and endorsed his twin brother Trever to succeed him, and the report described Nehls as a staunch ally of Trump.
The list also includes major Democratic exits and leadership departures. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced on Nov. 6 that her career in Congress would end after nearly 40 years, with the reporting describing her tenure as including passage of the Affordable Care Act and playing roles in impeaching Trump and encouraging Biden to end his 2024 reelection campaign. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., announced on Nov. 20 that she would retire, citing a need for generational change, and the report described her as the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress.
As additional departures continue to surface in the report—spanning retirements and runs for governor or Senate—the underlying set of implications remains consistent: for both parties, planned exits set up a new roster of candidates, leadership vacancies and competitive open-seat races ahead of the midterms. The reporting framed the overall pattern as a near-term window into how much House churn could follow into the 2026 cycle.
The Associated Press tracking effort, credited to Meg Kinnard, compiled the members listed in the reporting as “where things stand in the House” ahead of 2026, based on the published retirement and departure announcements and the stated reasons each lawmaker provided.