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Rep. Frederica Wilson becomes the 58th U.S. representative to announce she won’t seek re-election in 2026

By

Briana Ryan

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) announced on May 29, 2026, that she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

In a statement, Wilson said, “Today, I announced that I will not seek re-election to Congress, but I am not retiring. My life’s work is entering a new chapter. I will take the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project across America, bringing mentorship, hope, and opportunity to young people in communities throughout our nation.”

In 2010, Wilson won her first term in the U.S. House in Florida’s 17th Congressional District after then-incumbent Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) announced he was running for the U.S. Senate instead of re-election in the U.S. House. Wilson ran without major party opposition.

In Wilson’s seven subsequent re-election bids, she ran in Florida’s 24th Congressional District due to redistricting. She won by 76 percentage points in 2014, 55 percentage points in 2020, 44 percentage points in 2022, and 37 percentage points in 2024. Wilson ran without major party opposition in 2012, 2016, and 2018.

As of June 2, 2026, independent race forecasters The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the 2026 general election for the district as Solid Democratic. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic.

As of May 29, 2026, Cohen is one of 69 members of the U.S. Congress — 11 U.S. Senate members and 58 U.S. House members — who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026.

Of the 58 U.S. House incumbents who are not seeking re-election:

  • Thirty-one — 15 Democrats and 16 Republicans — are retiring from public office.
  • Sixteen — seven Democrats and nine Republicans — are running for the U.S. Senate.
  • Ten — all Republicans — are running for governor.
  • One Republican is running for state attorney general.

Compared to the last four election cycles, there were 44 retirement announcements at this point in 2024, 48 in 2022, 35 in 2020, and 51 in 2018.

Between January 2011 and May 2026, Ballotpedia tracked 360 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 62. The fewest announcements took place in June at 15.