Rep. Neal Dunn becomes the 47th U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026

By

Briana Ryan

Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) announced on Jan. 13, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

In a statement announcing his retirement, Dunn wrote, “The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren.”

In 2016, Dunn first ran for the U.S. House in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District after then-incumbent Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.) announced she would not seek re-election. In the general election, Dunn defeated Walter Dartland (D) 67% to 30%. 

In his three subsequent re-election bids in which he ran with major party opposition, Dunn won by 35 percentage points in 2018, 20 percentage points in 2022, and 23 percentage points in 2024. Dun ran without major party opposition in 2020.

As of Jan. 6, 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 Jan. 13, 2026, Dunn is one of 56 members of the U.S. Congress — nine U.S. Senate members and 47 U.S. House members — who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026.

Of the 47 U.S. House incumbents who are not seeking re-election:

  • Twenty-one — 13 Democrats and eight Republicans — are retiring from public office.
  • Fourteen — seven Democrats and seven 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 40 retirement announcements at this point in 2024, 41 in 2022, 34 in 2020, and 42 in 2018.

Between January 2011 to January 2026, Ballotpedia followed 348 announcements from U.S. House members who announced they would not seek re-election. January had the highest number of members announcing they would not run for re-election at 57. The fewest announcements took place in June at 15.