Full List of Republicans Leaving Congress
By: Sam Stevenson (Newsweek)
Over the last 25 years the number of House Representatives (Ds and Rs) not seeking reelection has fluctuated between 40 and 50 for each two year election cycle. So, the current number not seeking reelection isn't unusual. Note that most of the Republicans leaving the House are either retiring or seeking other offices.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A significant number of Congressional resignations have been announced as the 2026 midterms approach, with the Republicans currently bearing the brunt of the losses.
Why It Matters
The volume of GOP exits, which has been reported to almost outpace those of the Democrats by a 2-to-1 ratio, raises questions about the Republican party's stability and its ability to maintain control of the House, where it currently holds a narrow majority.
Congressional retirements frequently signal internal party strains and can reshape the political landscape ahead of critical elections. The trend mirrors dynamics seen in previous cycles where high retirement rates correlated with shifts in control of the chamber.
It also comes amid reports that Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, is facing an internal revolt over his running of the chamber.
Newsweek has contacted Johnson and the White House via email for comment.
What To Know
At the time of writing, 31 Republicans have announced they will not seek reelection in the 2026 cycle.
These figures include members who have resigned early, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia (who announced she would step down in January after a public row with President Donald Trump).
Reasons for stepping down include retirement from public office, and campaigns for higher positions such as governor, U.S. Senate, or state attorney general.
- Republicans retiring from public office include Troy Nehls of Texas, Jodey Arrington of Texas, Michael McCaul of Texas, Morgan Luttrell of Texas, and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
- House Republicans running for the U.S. Senate include Wesley Hunt of Texas, Ashley Hinson of Iowa, Barry Moore of Alabama, Mike Collins of Georgia, Earl "Buddy" Carter of Georgia, and Andy Barr of Kentucky.
- House Republicans running for governor include Elise Stefanik of New York, David Schweikert of Arizona, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, John James of Michigan, John Rose of Tennessee, Byron Donalds of Florida, and Andy Biggs of Arizona.
- One Republican, Chip Roy of Texas, is running for Texas attorney general.
The pace of departures is on track to match that of previous cycles. At this point in the 2018 midterms—when Democrats retook the House—there had been 20 Republican retirement announcements, according to data from Ballotpedia.
Full List of Republicans Leaving Congress
The full up-to-date list of Republicans leaving Congress is as follows:
- Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida - Resigned early
- Representative Mark Green of Tennessee - Resigned early
- Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia - Resigning early
- Representative Troy Nehls of Texas - Retiring
- Representative Jodey Arrington of Texas - Retiring
- Representative Michael McCaul of Texas - Retiring
- Representative Morgan Luttrell of Texas - Retiring
- Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska - Retiring
- Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky - Retiring
- Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa - Retiring
- Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina - Retiring
- Representative Wesley Hunt of Texas - Running for Senate
- Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa - Running for Senate
- Representative Barry Moore of Alabama - Running for Senate
- Representative Mike Collins of Georgia - Running for Senate
- Representative Earl "Buddy" Carter of Georgia - Running for Senate
- Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky - Running for Senate
- Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee - Running for Governor
- Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama - Running for Governor
- Representative Elise Stefanik of New York - Running for Governor
- Representative David Schweikert of Arizona - Running for Governor
- Representative Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin - Running for Governor
- Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina - Running for Governor
- Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina - Running for Governor
- Representative Dusty Johnson of South Dakota - Running for Governor
- Representative Randy Feenstra of Iowa - Running for Governor
- Representative John James of Michigan - Running for Governor
- Representative John Rose of Tennessee - Running for Governor
- Representative Byron Donalds of Florida - Running for Governor
- Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona - Running for Governor
- Representative Chip Roy of Texas - Running for Texas Attorney General
What People Are Saying
Republican Representative Brian Mast of Florida told The Hill: "I've been here five terms now, and every midterm cycle, you continue to see that play out where there's people that step aside. They've been here long enough, and they've decided they had enough.
"Some are tired of having to fight the swing districts that they've had. There's a myriad of reasons. And some are just trying to move on to something that they might consider more fulfilling."
Outgoing Congressman Don Bacon, said: "If you're not fired up about winning, that's time to move on. And that's how I felt."
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, said: "Everybody in the Republican Party, with the exception of just a few, are consigned to be automatons. They just have to do whatever Trump wants them to do. What fun is that, if you're an adult? Most of my colleagues are successful people who worked really hard to get here, and then they find out you're just a rubber stamp for the Speaker, who's a rubber stamp for the president. I don't blame them for running for another office or going back home."
Political analyst Erin Covey of the Cook Political Report, said: "Ultimately, the number of Republican retirements that we [will] see [when] compared to 2018, I would imagine it would be close to the same number when all is said and done."
Trump posted on Truth Social: "We should win the Midterm Elections in RECORD NUMBERS."
The 'Republicans Against Trump' account commented after Troy Nehls' announcement: "JUST IN: Texas Republican Representative Troy Nehls, one of Trump's closest allies, says he won't seek reelection in 2026. He's the latest in a growing wave of GOP lawmakers retiring ahead of what many expect to be a devastating midterm."
What Happens Next
The wave of Republican retirements comes as both parties jockey for advantage in redistricting battles, with the 2026 midterms looming on November 3.
While most GOP lawmakers departing represent reliably Republican seats, some—such as Don Bacon and David Schweikert—are in competitive or swing districts, potentially further narrowing the Republican path to retain House control.
The trend also highlights ongoing dissatisfaction within GOP ranks, as repeated public splits emerge over leadership, Trump's agenda, and Congress's diminished legislative output. The total number of retirements is likely to grow as the election draws nearer.
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Google search indicates that 16 Democrats are not seeking reelection in 2026. That's not an unusual number, either.
At present the number of Republics who have announced they are leaving the House stands at 26. The highest number Republicans not seeking reelection over the last 25 years was 34 in 2018 (the midterm during Trump's first term).
Bottom line is that the news reporting should be taken with a grain of salt because, so far, the numbers are typical rather than unusual.