Forty-five members of Congress — 37 representatives and eight senators — have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026, marking the highest number of retirements at this point in an election cycle since 2018.
Since Oct. 20, six additional representatives have revealed they won’t return to Congress:
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Rep. Jody Arrington (R–Texas) – retiring from public office; district rated Safe Republican.
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Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D–N.J.) – retiring; district rated Safe Democratic.
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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R–N.Y.) – running for governor of New York; district rated Safe Republican.
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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D–Calif.) – retiring; district rated Safe Democratic.
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Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D–Ill.) – retiring; district rated Safe Democratic.
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Rep. Jared Golden (D–Maine) – retiring; district rated Toss-up or Tilt Democratic.
U.S. House of Representatives
Of the 37 House members stepping down:
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13 (9 Democrats, 4 Republicans) are retiring from public office.
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12 (6 Democrats, 6 Republicans) are running for the U.S. Senate.
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11 Republicans are running for governor.
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1 Republican is running for Texas Attorney General.
By comparison, retirement announcements numbered 25 in 2024, 24 in 2022, 27 in 2020, and 31 in 2018 at this same point in those election cycles.
U.S. Senate
Eight senators — four Democrats and four Republicans — have said they won’t seek re-election in 2026:
Joni Ernst (R–Iowa), Thom Tillis (R–N.C.), Dick Durbin (D–Ill.), Mitch McConnell (R–Ky.), Jeanne Shaheen (D–N.H.), Tina Smith (D–Minn.), and Gary Peters (D–Mich.) are retiring, while Tommy Tuberville (R–Ala.) will run for governor of Alabama.
In past election cycles, the number of Senate retirements stood at seven in 2024, six in 2022, four in 2020, and two in 2018.
Between January 2011 and November 2025, a total of 386 members of Congress have announced plans not to seek re-election. The month with the most retirements was January (69), while June saw the fewest at 16.
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