As the 2026 midterms approach, more than a tenth of the current Congress has signaled they will not be returning to their seats. This significant shift is influenced by a combination of redistricting, retirements, and lawmakers pursuing different political offices. According to NPR's Congressional retirement tracker, as of December 17, 2025, there are currently 54 representatives and senators either retiring or running for other positions—comprising 10 senators and 44 House members.
This wave of departures includes prominent figures such as California Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell. Additionally, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once an ally of former President Trump, has announced her resignation. Many other politicians are opting to leave Washington, D.C., seeking opportunities in state or local offices. Out of the 54 lawmakers, 25 are retiring while others are pursuing different roles, including 15 aiming for gubernatorial positions and 13 looking to transition from the House to the Senate.
Among those making notable career moves is Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, who is vying to become the state's attorney general. Similarly, Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, while not up for reelection in 2026, have expressed intentions to resign if they win their respective gubernatorial races. This trend of lawmakers seeking new opportunities has been further compounded by the unfortunate loss or resignation of eight lawmakers who began the 119th Congress in January.
Since President Trump took office in 2017, there has been a dramatic turnover in Congress. An NPR review of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress indicates that 900 individuals have served in Congress during this period, including 132 senators and 751 representatives, with 17 having served in both chambers. Notably, nearly two-thirds of the current Senate and 44% of the House have been in office since the beginning of Trump’s tenure.
The most common reason for leaving Congress during the Trump era has been retirement, with over 140 lawmakers opting for this route between 2017 and 2024. Pelosi's announcement to retire followed the November 2025 off-year elections, which saw a surge of Democratic victories across the nation. Greene’s unexpected resignation, effective January 5, 2026, came after a public disagreement with Trump regarding his second-term agenda and the controversial Epstein files.
In light of the upcoming midterms, many senior Democratic leaders, such as Sens. Dick Durbin and Jeanne Shaheen, along with Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Dwight Evans, and Danny Davis, are choosing to pass the baton to a younger generation. This transition is reflected in the unprecedented number of lawmakers—12 House members and three senators—seeking gubernatorial roles.
The 54 announcements of departures before the end of 2025 represent a modern record for such advanced notice ahead of an election, marking the highest turnover in the Senate since 2012. Factors influencing these exits include redistricting and narrow majorities in a midterm year. With Republicans maintaining a slim control over both the House and Senate, they face challenges from voters dissatisfied with Trump's agenda.
Efforts by Republican-led states to implement mid-decade gerrymandering in an attempt to create more favorable districts, combined with retaliatory redistricting in Democratic-led states like California, have contributed to this reshuffling. The Supreme Court's ruling allowing Texas' new congressional map to be used in the 2026 elections coincided with the state's primary qualifying deadline, prompting nine incumbents to retire or pursue other offices. California's aggressive redistricting in favor of Democrats may lead to more Republican retirements or contentious primary challenges.