Forty members of Congress have announced they will not seek re-election in 2024—more than at this point in previous cycles

By

Juan Garcia de Paredes

Between Nov. 15 and Dec. 18, eight U.S. House members announced they will not seek re-election in 2024. The eight House members include six Democrats and two Republicans. 

Including the announcements above, 40 members of Congress—seven U.S. Senators and 33 House members—have announced they will not seek re-election in 2024. Thirty-six members of Congress had announced their retirements at this point in the 2022, 2020, and 2018 cycles. 

House

Seven of the eight U.S. House members who announced they will not seek re-election since Nov. 15 are retiring from public office:

  • Rep. Dan Kildee (D), from Michigan;  
  • Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D) and Anna Eshoo (D) from California; 
  • Reps. Kathy Manning (D), Wiley Nickel (D), and Patrick McHenry (R) from North Carolina; and, 
  • Rep. Drew Ferguson (R) from Georgia. 

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. President. 

Looking at all U.S. House members who are not seeking re-election in 2024:

  • 18—10 Democrats and eight Republicans—have announced their retirement from public office;
  • 11—nine Democrats and two Republicans—are running for the U.S. Senate;
  • Two—Reps. Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.) and Dan Bishop (R-N.C.)—are running for North Carolina attorney general;
  • One—Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D–Va.)—is running for governor of Virginia; and,
  • One—Phillips—is running for President.  

The 33 House members who have announced they will not seek re-election in 2024 are three more than the 30 who had announced they were not running for re-election at this point in the 2022 cycle. Thirty-two members had announced at this point in the 2020 cycle, and 34 members had announced at this point in the 2018 cycle.

Senate

On the Senate side, seven incumbents have announced they will not seek re-election in 2024—the highest number at this point since the 2012 election cycle. Five of the retiring Senators this cycle are Democrats, and two are Republicans:

Six of the seven Senators not seeking re-election are retiring from public office:

  • Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.)
  • Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.);
  • Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.);
  • Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.);
  • Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah); and
  • Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) is running for governor of Indiana.

When compared to the last three election cycles, there were six Senate retirements at this point in 2022, four at this point in 2020, and two at this point in 2018.