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Senate and House Retirements 2026

In every election cycle a certain number of senators and representatives retire or run for other offices leaving behind open seats for their parties to defend. Here are the number of retirements in recent years:

Senate
Year Democrats Republicans
2024 5 2
2022 1 5
2020 1 3
2018 0 4
2016 3 2
2014 5 3
2012 6 3
2010 5 6
2008 0 5
2006 2 1
               
House
Year Democrats Republicans
2024 24 21
2022 33 17
2020 12 36
2018 18 34
2016 8 20
2014 16 25
2012 23 20
2010 17 20
2008 6 27
2006 9 18

Here are the numbers so far for the 2026 election:

Chamber Democrats Republicans
Senate 4 3
House 10 11

Here is the list of senators who are retiring this cycle that will result in open-seat elections in 2026:

Senator Party State Reason for retirement
Tommy Tuberville Republican Alabama He is running for governor of Alabama
Dick Durbin Democratic Illinois Age (80) and pressure for generational change
Mitch McConnell Republican Kentucky Age (83) and failing health
Gary Peters Democratic Michigan He is only 66 but says it is time for a new generation
Tina Smith DFL Minnesota She was originally apppointed and never really liked the job
Jeanne Shaheen Democratic New Hampshire She is 78 and has been in public office for 35 years
Thom Tillis Republican North Carolina Trump threatened him and he caved


Here are the announced House retirements that will result in open-seat elections in 2026, sorted on PVI (Cook Partisan Voting Index) based on the 2024 districts. When a retirement occurs early in the cycle, it will be filled in a special election and not be an open-seat election in 2026.
Any seat between R+5 and D+5 is a swing district that has to be fought over, even more so if occupied by the "wrong" party.

Representative Party District PVI Reason for retirement
John Rose Republican TN-06 R+17 He is running for governor of Tennessee
Randy Feenstra Republican IA-04 R+15 He is running for governor of Iowa
Dusty Johnson Republican SD-AL R+15 He is running for governor of South Dakota
Byron Donalds Republican FL-19 R+13 He is running for governor of Florida
Mike Collins Republican GA-10 R+11 He is running to challenge Jon Ossoff
Ralph Norman Republican SC-05 R+11 He is running for governor of South Carolina
Andy Biggs Republican AZ-11 R+10 He is running for governor of Arizona
Buddy Carter Republican GA-01 R+8 He is running to challenge Jon Ossoff.
Andy Barr Republican KY-06 R+7 His is running for Mitch McConnell's open Senate Seat
John James Republican MI-10 R+3 He is running for governor of Michigan
Don Bacon Republican NE-02 D+3 He doesn't agree with Trump on much and it would be a tough fight
Chris Pappas Democratic NH-01 D+2 He is running for Jeanne Shaheen's open Senate
Josh Gottheimer Democratic NJ-05 D+2 He ran for governor of New Jersey and lost the primary
Angie Craig Democratic MN-02 D+3 She is running for Tina Smith's open Senate seat
Mikie Sherrill Democratic NJ-11 D+5 She is running for governor of New Jersey and won the primary
Raja Krishnamoorthi Democratic IL-08 D+5 He is running for Dick Durbin's open Senate seat
Haley Stevens Democratic MI-11 D+9 She is running for Gary Peters open Senate seat
Robin Kelly Democratic IL-02 D+18 She is running for Dick Durbin's Senate seat
Jan Schakowsky Democratic IL-09 D+19 She is 81 and retiring from politics
Danny Davis Democratic IL-07 D+34 He is 83 and has had enough
Dwight Evans Democratic PA-03 D+40 He had a stroke last year and is retiring at 71


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