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There’s the age-old adage (pun-intended) that Congress, especially the Senate, is basically just an overglorified retirement home. Others call it the place where “old politicians go to retire.”
That’s proving to be more true than ever with a historically high rate of retirements and early resignations in Congress this year. Let’s break down the math.
A whopping 60 members of Congress have decided not to run for reelection in their current position so far this year. That number consists of 51 House members and nine senators.
According to historical data from the Brookings Institution, that’s the most retirements from both chambers of Congress combined this century — and doesn’t include the lawmakers who left their seats early or died before their term was up.
That’s staggering. And it sets the stage for a brand-new Congress this time next year.
Members of Congress are leaving for all sorts of reasons, whether it’s personal, for a position elsewhere, or because they’re just sick of the place.
The most popular reason so far? Leaving their coveted seat in Washington for the chance to run their home states.
At least 14 lawmakers — 13 House members and one senator — are running for governor back home. Making things more interesting, a few of those lawmakers will actually be facing off against each other to do so: Reps. Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace will face off to become governor of South Carolina.
Another 15 House members are retiring to run for higher office in the Senate, again setting up some incumbent-on-incumbent fights: Reps. Wesley Hunt and Jasmine Crockett in Texas. Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Cart in Georgia. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in Illinois.
Lots to watch there.
Others just seem to be kind of done with Congress in general. Take Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, for example, who wrote in her retirement announcement that it “does represent a change of heart for me.”
“In the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me,” Lummis wrote in a statement at the time, referring to the record-long government shutdown. “I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.”
Rep. Jared Golden, a House Democrat who often makes headlines for bucking party lines on certain legislation, also cited his growing annoyance with Congress in his announcement to retire.
“After 11 years as a legislator, I have grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community — behavior that, too often, our political leaders exhibit themselves,” Golden wrote in an op-ed last November. “I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning. Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son.”
The retirements ensure an interesting campaign season this year. More Republicans than Democrats are retiring in the House, putting their already-slim majority at risk in a midterm election cycle that historically favors the party out of control.
Stories driving the week
- Curtis tanks Trump nom: Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, will oppose one of President Donald Trump’s nominees for a high-ranking position within the State Department as the candidate has come under scrutiny for making a number of comments deemed racist and antisemitic, I scooped for the DNews this week.
- DHS heads for shutdown: The Senate failed to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the fiscal year, raising the risk of a weekend shutdown for nearly a dozen agencies as lawmakers struggle to find a compromise on immigration reform.
- Utah elections take shape: Former Rep. Ben McAdams has qualified for the primary in Utah’s newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, making him the first Democratic candidate to do so in the race to flip one of Utah’s red seats in the House of Representatives.
Utah Rep. Owens celebrates renaming of Capitol press gallery
Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, had a special recognition this week with the official unveiling of the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery on Capitol Hill.
The House passed a bill last year to rename the press room in recognition of Douglass’ contributions to journalism and civil rights. It’s a major move for the gallery, which acts as a hub for dozens of outlets serving local, national and international audiences.
Personal note: This is the gallery I work out of every single day on Capitol Hill, and it was nice to welcome the Utah congressman to my colleagues who may not get to speak with him as frequently as I do.
And fun fact: Douglass himself used to work out of this very same gallery back during his tenure. Of course, he wouldn’t recognize the space today that is lined with TVs along the walls and is decked out with individual telephone booths for media hits.
Douglass worked in the press galleries as he reported on the passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, which abolished slavery, granted birthright citizenship to slaves and gave Black citizens the right to vote.
Douglass made history as the first Black member of the congressional press galleries in 1871 as he reported for primarily Black audiences on the Reconstruction Era, during which Congress debated and established the legal status of Black Americans, such as citizenship and voting rights. Douglass himself escaped from slavery in 1838.
Fun moment to recognize history — and make some history along the way!
— Cami Mondeaux
Quick Hits
From the Hill: House advances voter ID bill as Mike Lee builds pressure in the Senate. … House votes to end Trump’s tariffs on Canada. … Utah Rep. Blake Moore wants to ban foreign countries from investing in college sports.
From the White House: Here’s what Tom Homan said about immigration enforcement ending in Minnesota. … This is what we know after FAA reopens airspace over El Paso after closure. … Trump administration preps for ‘the largest act of deregulation’ in U.S. history.
From the courts: 4 former Utah Supreme Court justices speak out as lawmakers move forward with reform. … How we got here: The 8-year fight over political power in Utah.
What’s next
The House and Senate are both scheduled to be on recess for the next week, but negotiations to reopen the government will continue. Lawmakers are on a 24-to-48 hour notice to return to Washington in case of a deal.
As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.