About two dozen members of the House have already begun planning to pursue higher office in 2026 or are considering it, Axios reported.
Twenty-four House legislators have either publicly stated their interest in pursuing a run for Senate or governor or are privately considering a bid for a higher office, according to the outlet.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said that "folks have talked about" his launching a gubernatorial campaign, adding that he is "not actively seeking it nor ruling it out.”
Other lawmakers considering a run for governor or Senate include GOP Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, and Ralph Norman of South Carolina, as well as Democrat Reps. Jason Crow and Joe Neguse of Colorado, Robin Kelly of Illinois, Greg Landsman of Ohio, and Jared Moskowitz of Florida, according to the report.
Reps. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Kevin Hern, R-Okla., Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., John Rose, R-Tenn., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., have all publicly stated that they are considering running for governor, while Reps. Andy Barr, R-Ky., Buddy Carter, R-Ga., Clay Higgins, R-La., Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., are considering making a bid for the Senate.
The announcements follow last year’s exodus from the lower chamber. According to Ballotpedia, 53 congressional legislators announced in 2023 that they would not seek reelection in 2024, the highest number of retirements in more than a decade.