This article looks at the recent wave of U.S. House retirements, why notable Republicans and Democrats say they are stepping away, and what the turnover could mean for the coming midterms and the GOP’s approach to governing.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon has been a steady presence in a swing Nebraska seat, winning nine tough races over the past decade, but he told Fox News Digital “the fire wasn’t there” anymore. Bacon, a retired Air Force general and a self-described old-fashioned Republican in the Ronald Reagan mold, announced he will not seek a sixth term, joining a growing list of House members leaving next year. His exit is one of 36 current members who have said they will not run again, a number that should make party leaders sit up and take notice.
Election analyst David Wasserman observed, “We’re above average,” referring to the pace of retirements this cycle, and that statistic feeds real strategic questions as both parties prep for 2026. Historically, many retirements cluster in the months before an election, and with six weeks to go until the calendar turns, more names may still surface. For Republicans this timing matters because the party controls a narrow House majority that could be vulnerable if several swing seats open up simultaneously.
The roster of departures mixes veterans and relatively young lawmakers, which complicates the usual narrative that members only retire when they are old and tired. Some long-serving Democrats, including former leaders, are among those stepping down, but a surprising number of younger members cited the corrosive tone in Washington as a reason for leaving. Moderate members who once bridged the divide say they feel boxed out by louder, more extreme voices on both sides.
Texas Republican Jodey Arrington, the House Budget Committee chair, announced his retirement and framed public office as temporary, saying, “I have a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career.” That sentiment reflects a conservative view of citizen-legislators over career politicians, and it may encourage others who see an opportunity to serve and then return to private life.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine captured the mood of several moderates when he wrote, “After 11 years as a legislator, I have grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community — behavior that, too often, our political leaders exhibit themselves.” Golden added, “I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning. Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son.”
Bacon pointed to Golden’s words and said, “He said something I was feeling. The thought of winning was unattractive this cycle. If it feels like it’s a little bit depressing to win, then better let somebody else run.” He also warned that the growing “hyper-partisan ugliness” wears on people, acknowledging, “I think that’s where this hyper-partisan ugliness fits in. The thought of winning and going through another two years of this was not a fulfilling thought.”
Former New Hampshire Rep. Annie Kuster, who left after 12 years, told reporters the job had become harder because “It had gotten so much more difficult over 12 years to work across the aisle,” and that the moderates she used to partner with had largely moved on. “a big factor for me was that most of the moderate Republicans that I worked with all the time had left Congress. The people who were coming in were more hard right partisans,” she said, summarizing how shifts in party composition can change the day-to-day reality in Washington.
Some retirees are pivoting to statewide races rather than leaving politics altogether, while others, like Bacon and Arrington, are simply stepping back. Wasserman suggested that Republicans believe their big policy push is largely done for this term and that there are “opportunities to be more impactful elsewhere.” The reality is many lawmakers are calculating where they can do the most good for their families, their careers, or their policy priorities.
Even amid frustration, Bacon struck a cautiously optimistic tone about the institution itself, saying, “When folks move on, new people move in, and I know there’s good people out there,” and expressing a belief that turnover can refresh the House. For Republicans focused on defending a slim majority, the challenge will be recruiting candidates who can win competitive districts while also renewing a culture that lets people govern without constant fear of online mobs or extreme factionalism. The coming months will test whether the party can translate retirements into new energy instead of losses at the ballot box.
