Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) announced on Feb. 4, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

In a statement announcing his retirement, Loudermilk said, “I first ran for election to Congress in 2014 and, as I stated then, representing the people in Congress is a service, not a career; and although I continue to have strong support from the people of the Eleventh Congressional District, I believe it is time to contribute to my community, state, and nation in other ways. Therefore, I have decided not to seek re-election at the end of my current term in Congress.”

In 2014, Loudermilk first ran for the U.S. House in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District after then-incumbent Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) announced he would not seek re-election. In the general election, Loudermilk ran without major party opposition.

In his five re-election bids in which he ran with major party opposition, Loudermilk won by 35 percentage points in 2016, 24 percentage points in 2018, 21 percentage points in 2020, 25 percentage points in 2022, and 34 percentage points in 2024.

As of Feb. 3, 2026, independent race forecasters The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the 2026 general election for the district as Solid Republican. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Republican.

As of Feb. 3, 2026, Loudermilk is one of 59 members of the U.S. Congress — nine U.S. Senate members and 50 U.S. House members — who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026. 

Of the 50 U.S. House incumbents who are not seeking re-election:

• Twenty-three — 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans — are retiring from public office.
• Fifteen — seven Democrats and eight Republicans — are running for the U.S. Senate.
• Eleven — one Democrat and 10 Republicans — are running for governor.
• One Republican is running for state attorney general.

Compared to the last four election cycles, there were 43 retirement announcements at this point in 2024, 42 in 2022, 34 in 2020, and 45 in 2018. 

Between January 2011 and February 2026, Ballotpedia tracked 352 announcements by U.S. House members that they would not seek re-election. January had the highest number of members announcing they would not run for re-election at 61. The fewest announcements took place in June at 15.