Overview
- Reporters tally 60 members not seeking re-election in 2026, with 51 House members and 9 senators stepping aside, the highest combined total this century per Brookings data.
- The Brookings count includes lawmakers retiring or running for other offices and excludes resignations and deaths during the current Congress.
- Recent announcements by Reps. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia and Mark Amodei of Nevada added to the total, with each citing personal timing and family considerations.
- House departures stand at the third-highest level since 1930, trailing only 2018’s 52 and 1992’s 65, according to historical comparisons.
- Lawmakers cite family strain, threats, health concerns, and a toxic partisan climate, as high-profile figures from both parties—including Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell—prepare to leave, with 30 House Republicans and 21 Democrats among the departures and five Republicans and four Democrats exiting the Senate.