Every member of the U.S. House goes up for re-election in November, but 42 of of the 435 representatives have declined to run for another term.
Of the 42 representatives leaving the House, 23 are Democrats and 19 are Republicans.
What’s more, a few — like Rep. Kevin McCarthy — have already left Congress.
Some outgoing representatives have made revealing remarks about their reasons for retirement.
“People are frustrated. I think that’s pretty obvious,” Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., told Politico Tuesday.
In another statement, Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., announced retirement and described Congress as “broken beyond most means of repair.” Then last month, he reversed his decision to retire.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is running for re-election in his swing district, but he has a theory about the cause of the exodus. Bacon takes issue with the House’s tendency to punish its own, and he pointed to October’s three-week scramble to find a House speaker mid-term.
Since starting the term in January 2023, Congress has censured a member, expelled a member, and ousted a member from the House speakership.
“Everybody’s calling you. All the bullying and name calling,” Bacon told Politico. “We’re losing some good people.”
Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., had the same theory.
“This is the problem we find ourselves in: We get in our own way,” Womack told the outlet. “It’s not governing at all.”
Below is a list of the Republicans who’ve declined to run for re-election to the House. Is your representative on the list?
- Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin
- Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington
- Jeff Duncan of South Carolina
- Greg Pence of Indiana
- Larry Bucshon of Indiana
- Doug Lamborn of Colorado
- Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri
- Drew Ferguson of Georgia
- Patrick McHenry of North Carolina
- Michael Burgess of Texas
- Brad Wenstrup of Ohio
- Kay Granger of Texas
- Ken Buck of Colorado
- Debbie Lesko of Arizona
- John Curtis of Utah
- Jim Banks of Indiana
- Alex Mooney of West Virginia
- Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota
- Dan Bishop of North Carolina
The Horn editorial team