With the 2026 midterms deciding which party will control the House during the final two years of President Donald Trump's term, both parties are seeing members opt out of reelection campaigns.
Republicans currently hold a 220-213 majority with two vacancies, but several members on both sides of the aisle are planning to seek a statewide executive position or Senate seat.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn.; and Rep. John James, R-Mich., have announced this year that they're running for governor in their respective states.
Also, Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., is running to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Democrats will be defending 10 more competitive seats than the GOP, and at least three party members have launched bids for other offices since the start of the year, the Washington Examiner reported.
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn.; Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.; and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., have announced they'll run for other offices.
Craig announced Tuesday that she'll run for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. Pappas and Stevens also said they would run for the Senate after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., announced they wouldn't seek reelection.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., both announced last year that they are running for governor in New Jersey, where fellow Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited.
Both Gottheimer and Sherrill can remain in Congress while launching their gubernatorial bids. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shows Gottheimer's seat is considered likely Democrat.
Of the lawmakers who announced they are leaving the House, only James and Pappas are leaving behind strong pickup opportunities for the opposing party, the Examiner reported.
James' district, Michigan's 10th, is rated "lean Republican." He and Trump won the district by six points last year.
Pappas' seat, New Hampshire's 1st District, is rated "likely Democrat" but is being targeted by the House GOP campaign arm, the Examiner reported.
Also, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have been mentioned as possible candidates for New York governor.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., could challenge former Rep. Mike Rogers for the GOP nomination to run for the open Michigan Senate seat.
House Illinois Democrats such as Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.; Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill.; and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., could decide to run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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