68 members of Congress won't seek reelection in 2026, most in decades

As of late February 2026, 68 members of the House and Senate announced they won't seek reelection in November 2026. That's notably higher than the same point in recent election cycles, according to a 🌲Washington Post analysis of federal filings.

An unprecedented 31 of the 68 departing members filed to run for another office — mostly for governor. That means roughly half the departures aren't retirements but lateral moves into state-level races, reshaping both congressional and gubernatorial contests simultaneously.

Eight senators are retiring from public office entirely after this term. That includes Republicans Sen. TTTommy Tuberville of 🏈Alabama and Sen. Marsha Blackburn of 🎸Tennessee, and Democrats Sen. Michael Bennet of 🏔️Colorado and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of 🦆Minnesota — all of whom are running for governor instead.

Twenty-nine House Republicans are not seeking reelection. Only 10 are retiring from public life. The other 19 are running for governor or Senate seats — leaving open House districts that will be contested in a midterm environment that historically favors the party out of power.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of 🍑Georgia resigned from the House earlier in 2026 after escalating tensions with Speaker Mike Johnson. Her exit thinned the already-slim Republican House majority, where a shift of just a few seats flips control.

Rep. Mark Amodei of 🎰Nevada, who chairs the Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee, announced his retirement in early February 2026. He had already secured Trump's endorsement for reelection before deciding not to run. His seat is rated competitive by the Cook Political Report.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced her run for 🦆Minnesota governor in part because she recognized, according to people familiar with her thinking, that she was unlikely to advance in Democratic Senate leadership after nearly 20 years. The governor's race gives her a platform to shape state-level policy and Democratic Party positioning ahead of 2028.

Sen. Dick Durbin of 🌽Illinois, retiring after almost 30 years, said that members who used to be active legislators have become active observers. His description points to structural changes in how the Senate operates — fewer floor amendments, more leadership-driven votes, and constrained debate — that frustrate career legislators.