Here’s Some Of The Names You Know That Will Not Be Back Next Congress

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More than a dozen legislators are already confirmed to not return to the next Congress as voters prepare to elect all 435 members of the House and a third of the 100-seat Senate in November.

As of Saturday, 57 members of the House and 11 senators have announced they are not seeking reelection — in addition to four House members and two senators who have lost renomination in their respective primaries. Here is a list of some of the more widely recognized members of Congress who will not be part of the 120th Congress, set to take office in January 2027. (RELATED: The 10 Biggest Election Upsets Of 2026 — So Far)

Mitch McConnell — Retiring

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, who has served in the upper legislative chamber since 1985, announced in February 2025 he would not seek reelection to an eighth term. McConnell’s 41-year tenure includes service as both the Senate’s majority and minority leaders. The longtime lawmaker led the GOP Senate Conference for 18 consecutive years before stepping down in January 2025, when he was succeeded by now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

McConnell, during his final Senate term, has at times broken with President Donald Trump, including criticizing his tariff and trade policies and voting against adding the SAVE America Act to a funding package in April. The senator’s leadership also received widespread criticism from his more conservative colleagues following the 2022 midterm cycle during which Republican Senate candidates strongly underperformed expectations.

Trump-backed Republican Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr handily won the May 19 GOP nomination to succeed McConnell. Barr is the heavy favorite in the general election due to the state’s strong Republican lean.

Nancy Pelosi — Retiring

McConnell is not the only former Congressional leader not returning to the next Congress after a tenure starting in the 1980s. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 86, announced in November 2025 she would not run for a 21st term representing San Francisco.

The California Democrat led her party’s House Caucus for 20 years, from 2003 to 2023, serving as speaker for eight: from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023. She served a two-year term as speaker under Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump, and Joe Biden.

Pelosi in recent years has come under scrutiny for a series of stock trades she made while in office. Observers alleged the former speaker engaged in insider trading, an accusation she denies. Pelosi’s net worth grew by a factor of 23 times during her time in Congress.

Jerry Nadler — Retiring

Democratic New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, 78, a prominent Trump foe, announced in September 2025 he would not run for reelection in the 2026 midterms. Nadler, who has represented a New York City-based seat since 1992, chaired the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023 and served as a House manager during Trump’s first impeachment.

Jerry Nadler attends Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul announcement of the continuation of congestion pricing on program’s first anniversary on January 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Steny Hoyer — Retiring

Democratic Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, 86, who served as House Majority Leader during both of Pelosi’s speakership tenures, announced his retirement in January. Hoyer took office in 1981 and is the longest-serving Democrat in the House.

Interestingly, Hoyer and Pelosi endorsed different candidates in the crowded Democratic primary to succeed the 45-year incumbent in the deep-blue Maryland district. While Hoyer is backing his former aide, State Delegate Adrian Boafo, Pelosi is throwing her support behind Harry Dunn, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who testified before the House Select Committee on Jan. 6 which existed during Pelosi’s speakership.

Steve Cohen — Retiring

Democratic Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen, 77, became the latest victim of GOP-friendly redistricting on May 15 after he announced he would not seek reelection, citing his state’s newly redrawn congressional map. Republicans redrew the map following the Supreme Court’s landmark April decision severely limiting race-based gerrymandering, which had seemingly been the basis for the existence of Cohen’s old seat.

Cohen, who is white, has represented a majority-black seat based in Memphis since 2007 and has been the sole Democratic congressman from Tennessee since 2023. While former Vice President Kamala Harris won his old Ninth District by 43 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, the newly redrawn seat voted for Trump by 21 points, according to data from Dave’s Redistricting App (DRA).

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