Congress and 2026 Elections

NPR reports that 54 sitting members of Congress — 10 senators and 44 representatives — have announced by Dec. 17, 2025 that they will retire or run for other offices, marking a modern record this far ahead of the 2026 midterms. The wave includes high-profile exits such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s planned resignation on Jan. 5, 2026, and an unusually large cohort seeking governorships or Senate seats amid redistricting pressures and narrow GOP majorities.