Record Exodus Underway: Lawmakers Abandon Congress Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Record Exodus Underway: Lawmakers Abandon Congress Ahead of 2026 Midterms A historic wave of departures is sweeping through Capitol Hill, with a record number of lawmakers announcing they will not seek re-election or are eyeing gubernatorial runs ahead of the 2026 midterms. As of August 12, 2025, a staggering 30 members of Congress—nine senators and 21 House members—have declared their intent to exit, marking an unprecedented level of pre-election resignations for this stage of the cycle. This mass exodus, occurring…