As the 2026 elections approach, 66 members of the U.S. Congress — 56 U.S. Representatives and 10 U.S. Senators — have announced they will not seek re-election. This includes notable retirements from both major political parties, with several districts and seats now projected to be in play.
Election forecasters have rated these districts and seats as either “Solid,” “Likely,” or even “Toss-up,” setting the stage for what could be a highly competitive election cycle.
Recent Announcements of Retiring Lawmakers
Since the February 10 update, several prominent lawmakers have made their retirement announcements. Among them are:
- Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) – Announced his retirement on March 2. The race for his seat is rated Solid or Likely Republican.
- Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) – Announced his retirement on March 4. His Senate seat is rated Solid or Likely Republican.
- Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) – Announced his retirement on March 4. His district is rated Solid or Safe Republican.
- Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) – Announced his retirement on March 5. His district is rated Solid or Safe Republican.
- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) – Announced his retirement on March 6. His district is rated Toss-up or Tilt Democratic.
These retirements add to the growing list of lawmakers stepping down ahead of the 2026 elections.
Breakdown of U.S. House of Representatives Retirements
A total of 56 U.S. Representatives have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026. This includes:
- 28 retiring — 13 Democrats and 15 Republicans
- 16 running for U.S. Senate — 7 Democrats and 9 Republicans
- 11 running for governor — 1 Democrat and 10 Republicans
- 1 Republican running for state attorney general
Notably, seven of the 56 retiring U.S. Representatives won by fewer than 10 percentage points in 2024. Among them, Jared Golden (D-Maine), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) won by less than five percentage points.
Retirements in the U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate will also see significant turnover in 2026, with 10 Senators announcing they will not seek re-election. These include:
- Republicans:
- Steve Daines (Mont.)
- Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.)
- Joni Ernst (Iowa)
- Thom Tillis (N.C.)
- Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
- Democrats:
- Dick Durbin (Ill.)
- Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
- Tina Smith (Minn.)
- Gary Peters (Mich.)
- Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is running for governor of Alabama.
Comparison with Previous Election Cycles
Looking at previous election cycles, 2026 will see more retirements compared to recent years. For comparison:
- 2024 saw 8 retirement announcements.
- 2022 saw 6 retirement announcements.
- 2020 saw 4 retirement announcements.
- 2018 saw 3 retirement announcements.
This year is shaping up to be one of the most significant in terms of lawmakers stepping down, with 73 retirements already announced as of January 2026, marking it as the month with the highest number of retirements.
Election Ratings for Key Districts and Seats
Election forecasters have rated these open districts and seats across Congress. Here are some of the projections:
- Rep. Zinke’s seat (R-Mont.) – Rated Solid or Likely Republican.
- Sen. Daines’ seat (R-Mont.) – Rated Solid or Likely Republican.
- Rep. Issa’s seat (R-Calif.) – Rated Toss-up or Tilt Democratic.
- Rep. Owens (R-Utah) and Rep. Gonzales (R-Texas) – Both rated Solid or Safe Republican.
The competitive nature of these races will depend largely on the candidates who emerge to fill these vacancies and the political climate as the election nears.
