An NPR analysis of congressional primary results found that 99 lawmakers who began the 119th Congress will not return to their seats next year. This total includes 83 members of the House and 16 members of the Senate who have retired, resigned, died, or lost their primary elections.
The turnover follows a primary season marked by a high volume of early retirement announcements and unsuccessful bids for other offices. Only the 1992 election cycle, which saw 65 House members and nine senators decline to seek reelection, recorded more retirements or candidates seeking different offices in the last century, according to the Brookings Institution.
In total, 13 senators and 60 House representatives announced retirements or ran for different offices, while 16 members died or resigned. Thirteen incumbents lost their primary challenges. Among those departing are longtime leaders including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The turnover also includes the deaths of Reps. Sylvester Turner (D-TX), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), David Scott (D-GA), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Primary defeats affected both parties across several states. In Texas, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was the first incumbent defeated, followed by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Rep. Al Green (D-TX) in runoffs. In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lost his primary to Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA). Other primary losses included Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), New York Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Dan Goldman (D-NY), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. John Larson (D-CT), and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL).
The scale of this transition involves 99 congressional districts and Senate seats, representing tens of millions of Americans. For a typical household in a district with a departing member, this change will be noticed in the form of new constituent service staff and different legislative priorities starting in January 2027. The turnover is driven by several factors, including a push for younger lawmakers among Democratic voters, the impact of redistricting, and challenges from candidates backed by the Trump administration.
The high volume of departures could influence future policy by altering the makeup of influential committees and party leadership structures. While 99 seats are currently guaranteed to change hands, that number may increase following the general election in November, where dozens of other incumbents face competitive races. Additionally, two senators not currently up for reelection, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), are considered favorites in their respective gubernatorial races; should they win, their resignations would further increase the total number of departures from the current Congress. The general election will determine the final composition of the next Congress, with Louisiana's House primaries scheduled for November 3.