House members announce retirements and runs for higher office ahead of 2026

Body

Members of the U.S. House are lining up for the 2026 election cycle by announcing retirements and runs for other offices, setting up a wave of open seats as the midterms approach. The Associated Press has tracked the announcements as they come in across both parties, with the House leadership picture shaped by departures tied to Senate campaigns, governor’s races, judicial bids and end-of-career decisions.

Among the early Democratic exits highlighted in the tracking update, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland announced on Jan. 8 that he plans to retire when his current term ends. The report describes Hoyer as the longest-serving Democratic member of the House and notes that he rose within the caucus to the No. 2 position, including serving twice as House majority leader.

Republicans announced several departures of their own, including Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, who said Dec. 23 that she would seek a Senate seat rather than run again for the House. The AP tracking report links Hageman’s move to the timing of Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ retirement, and it says Hageman is seeking to launch a Senate campaign after Lummis’ exit.

Also in the GOP departures list, Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington said Dec. 17 that he would be retiring from Congress. The AP report places Newhouse among House Republicans who supported impeachment of President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, and it says his departure would leave only one House backer of Trump impeachment among those who could consider returning after the 2026 midterms.

The AP tracking update also flags multiple Democratic members from Texas. Rep. Marc Veasey said Dec. 8 that he would pursue a judicial seat in Tarrant County, and the report says he later dropped out of that race. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, also from Texas, announced Dec. 8 that she would seek a Senate seat, with the report saying she entered the race hours after former Rep. Colin Allred ended his bid for the Democratic nomination for that office.

Another Texas Democrat on the list, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, announced Dec. 5 that he would retire from the House after his current term. The report says Doggett cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision upholding a new district map that merges two Austin-area districts considered favorable to Democrats.

Several other major party figures also appear in the AP’s retirement and exit tracking, including high-profile Democrats. The report says Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California, announced Nov. 6 that her career in Congress would come to an end after nearly 40 years. It characterizes Pelosi’s long tenure as spanning nearly four decades, including her role as the first female House speaker and her participation in major legislation and impeachments during multiple administrations.

The list further includes Republican Elise Stefanik, who the AP report says made an initial announcement on Nov. 7 and later reiterated her plans on Dec. 19. In the tracking, Stefanik’s path is described as running for governor first and then deciding to leave the House instead of seeking the governor’s seat, with the report also referencing her experience rising to a top leadership rank in the House Republican conference.

A separate batch of announcements described in the tracking update points to a broader theme: lawmakers are increasingly treating the 2026 cycle as an opportunity to move to different political arenas rather than stay put in their House districts. The retirement announcements and office-seeking bids, coming from across regions and both parties, signal how quickly House seats could turn over as candidates shift to Senate, gubernatorial and other races for the next round of elections.