Keeping Score: Members of Congress Not Seeking Re-election in 2026

[rareboy]

Of course they will let him serve out his term because of his votes.

And I still don't care that he actually had an affair. That is between him, his wife and family and the woman who set herself on fire.

His wife and family have to live with the shit that blew up in their faces...after what I suspect during his 20 year military career was only one of a number of cheap little affairs.

Now that he isn't running, the wife can probably bail on him, at least.

 

[KaraBulut]

And I still don't care that he actually had an affair. That is between him, his wife and family and the woman who set herself on fire.

Two words: Monica Lewinsky.

He didn't just have an affair. They all have affairs. He had an affair with a staffer.

Remember all that pearl clutching over the blue dress? This is how far the moral compass of the Republican Party has spun out of control under Trump. Criminals get pardons. Employee-fuckers and sexual harassers keep their jobs. Pedophiles are welcome, as long as their victims are girls.

 

[KaraBulut]

A Republican House member declares himself an independent. His California district has been redrawn to favor Democrats.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/09/congress/kevin-kiley-2026-election-independent-00819287

California Rep. Kevin Kiley announced on Monday he is switching his congressional party designation from Republican to independent, formalizing his party switch as he pursues a longshot bid to win reelection in a Democratic-leaning district.

Kiley, whose district was redrawn in Democrats’ favor last year, confirmed to reporters on Monday that he is officially filing to run in California’s 6th District on a “no party preference” ballot line, and is seeking to have his party affiliation changed to independent immediately.

“I’m asking the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives to have that reflected in the official roster,” Kiley said.

Hopefully, now that he's not a Republican, he can find a gay hairdresser to fix that hair-don't.

 

[KaraBulut]

When I started this thread, there were 33 Republicans who had announced that they would not be running for re-election for their seat in the US House.

That number is now 35. That doesn't include Republicans who will lose their seat due to redistricting or who did not win their primary.

The 35th Republican House member to give up his seat is Rep Kevin Hern [R-OK] who plans on running for Markwayne Mullin's Senate seat if Mullin is confirmed at Sec Homeland Security.

Many Republicans are running ads touting their loyalty to Donald Trump. That may get them past their primary but it may not help in the general. More voters are identifying as independent, as Trump's behavior and lies drive more Republicans out of the party.

 

[KaraBulut]

Another Republican talking about retiring early for health reasons.

Republican lawmaker's early retirement rumors send shockwaves through House GOP

House Republican Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida has announced his plan to retire at the end of this congressional term, but rumors of an early departure are swirling.

www.foxnews.com

Weekend at Bernie's, US House edition:

https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/16/politics/congressman-neal-dunn-florida-health-trump

Trump reveals GOP congressman faced ‘terminal’ health condition and had months to live

President Donald Trump on Monday revealed that a US congressman had faced a “terminal” health condition and said he had only months to live before he personally intervened to help the Republican get surgery.

Trump, sitting alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, was touting the fierce determination of Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida, a 73-year-old who he said had been showing up to work despite his health challenges.

“He would be dead by June,” Trump said of Dunn, though he did not specify any diagnosis the congressman had received from doctors.

 

[rareboy]

"Secondly, I need his vote"

 

[KaraBulut]

"Dead by June."

Reminder: a majority of Americans thought this man should be trusted with America's most secret of national security information.

 

[CoolBlue71]

…

Many Republicans are running ads touting their loyalty to Donald Trump. That may get them past their primary but it may not help in the general. …

The U.S. House Republicans established a majority 220 seats with Election 2024.

They will lose control with the overall results of the 2026 United States midterm elections.

My guess, right now, is that they will lose—kind estimation—approximately –20 to –25 seats. That would render the 2026 U.S. House Republicans to a minority 195 to 200 seats.

There are some states which can serve as fortresses. In 2024, Oklahoma was the Republicans’s (Donald Trump’s) No. 5 best state. (This refers to the ranking of a given state, based on percentage-points margin, whether or not carried.) This made Oklahoma the 2024 Democrats’s No. 46 best state. In 2018, the Democrats won a net gain of just over +40 seats, going from a minority of nearly 195 to a majority of 235 seats with winning over the U,S. House. Back then, in 2018, there were roughly 20 involved states. Here in 2026, there appear to ne around 12 imvolved states. So this means Oklahoma is less likely to be involved, here in 2026, to deliver a Republican-to-Democratic pickup.

 

[KaraBulut]

...My guess, right now, is that they will lose—kind estimation—approximately –20 to –25 seats. That would render the 2026 U.S. House Republicans to a minority 195 to 200 seats.

As you know, Democrats don't have a history of turning out for off-year and mid-term elections. So, it's been really surprising to see two things: Democrats appear to be energized and Republicans seem to be less motivated. What is not clear is what is going on with independents- both the people who are turned off by both Democrats and by Republicans, but also younger voters who tend to skip out on non-Presidential elections and who seemed to be less inclined to show loyalty based upon party affiliation.

With this high number of House members leaving Congress, will this be like 2006 when Democrats made big gains running on opposition to the War on Terror? Or will this be like 1972, where the Democrats overshot and didn't make the easy gains that the opposition to the Vietnam war and Watergate should have given them?

 

[rareboy]

No one can snatch defear out of the jaws of victory quite like US Democrats.

The problem is that too much of the messaging will be wishy washy.

And Trump will probably amke up for Iran by seizing Cuba shortly.