The number of retirements announced in the House this election cycle is the second highest since recordkeeping began nearly a century ago.
Fifty-three members have said they won’t seek re-election in 2026, exceeding the 52 in 2018, with Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, becoming the latest to head for the exit.
Of the members who announced they will leave office this cycle, 32 are Republicans and 21 are Democrats, much like in 2018, when GOP lawmakers made up the bigger chunk of departures.
But this year many of those House Republicans are running for governor or Senate, which some GOP strategists say is a sign that these lawmakers don't view this year's political environment as problematic for the party.
The total departures for 2026 is still a ways off from the record 65 lawmakers who retired in 1992, according to historical data from the Brookings Institution’s Vital Statistics on Congress.
Members of Congress writ large are leaving their seats at a historically high rate, with 10 senators announcing they won't seek re-election. That's the most retirements from both chambers this century.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., became the latest senator, announcing Wednesday that he wouldn't seek a third term.
Republicans hold a razor-thin 218-214 majority in the House. They hold a 53-47 advantage in the Senate.
