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Republican Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri said Friday that he will not seek reelection, joining a string of retirements that could increase turnover in the U.S. House ahead of November’s midterm elections. Graves, 62, represents a solidly GOP and rural northern Missouri district and announced the decision as candidates prepared to file for state races.
Graves said in a social media post that he is “making room for the next generation.” He also framed the move as a transition in leadership, saying: “It’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians,” according to his remarks as reported by The Associated Press.
Graves chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a position that places him at the center of oversight and policy work tied to transportation. The AP report noted that he has been involved in discussions on aviation safety and in investigations connected to a deadly 2025 collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River.
The Missouri filing deadline that candidates faced on Tuesday was close to the time Graves made his decision public. The timing of the announcement came just days before that deadline.
So far, the AP said, 58 House members had announced they were stepping down or seeking other offices—setting up Congress for what the report described as record turnover. The development comes as the Republican Party faces political headwinds and tries to maintain control of the House, including polling that finds many Americans believe U.S. military action against Iran has gone too far and that voters worry about affordability issues.
Graves’ district is considered safe for Republicans, but his departure underscores how leadership changes can occur even where electoral prospects are favorable. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, a Democrat, praised Graves for his role in delivering “some of our community’s most important projects over the past generation,” according to the AP report.
At the same time, the AP said President Donald Trump brushed off concerns raised by Republicans at a gathering this week and predicted that his party would have larger congressional majorities after the November elections.