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Rep. Owen Burgess becomes the 53rd U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026

By

Briana Ryan

Rep. Owen Burgess (R-Utah) announced on March 4, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

In a statement announcing his retirement, Burgess said, “I will finish this term fully committed and fully accountable. My final political sprint will be here in Utah and across the country, helping my colleagues expand our Republican majority. Though this chapter closes, my commitment to advancing opportunity, advocating for our children, and strengthening families will continue in new ways.”

In 2020, Burgess won his first term in the U.S. House in Utah’s 4th Congressional District. He defeated then-incumbent Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) in the general election 48% to 47%. Burgess was one of 12 Republicans to defeat a Democratic incumbent in a general election that year. Burgess won re-election in 2022 by 29 percentage points and in 2024 by 33 percentage points.

As of March 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 March 4, 2026, Burgess is one of 63 members of the U.S. Congress — 10 U.S. Senate members and 53 U.S. House members — who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026. 

Of the 53 U.S. House incumbents who are not seeking re-election:

  • Twenty-six — 13 Democrats and 13 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 42 retirement announcements at this point in 2024, 45 in 2022, 34 in 2020, and 46 in 2018. 

Between January 2011 and March 2026, Ballotpedia tracked 354 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.