Which current U.S. House members have announced retirements effective at the end of their current term in 2026?

1. The competing tallies — who says what and why the counts differ

The supplied analyses present two principal tallies: multiple items assert 31 House incumbents are not running in 2026, with party breakdowns often given as 11 Democrats and 20 Republicans or similar variants ^[1]. Another assessment reports a lower figure of 27 members and a breakdown of 10 Democrats and 17 Republicans, marking this as the highest early-cycle exit since 2018 ^[2]. These differences arise from varying inclusion rules: some trackers count any incumbent not seeking reelection irrespective of whether they are running for another office or retiring outright, while others separate those retiring from public office versus those pursuing gubernatorial or Senate bids ^{[1] [4]}. The inconsistency in dates and update cadences among outlets produces snapshot discrepancies even within the same calendar window.

2. Who is explicitly listed as retiring from public office in the provided material

Across the provided analyses, a recurring set of names is identified as retiring from public office rather than seeking other posts. The overlapping names appearing in multiple summaries include Michael McCaul, Morgan Luttrell, Jerrold Nadler, Lloyd Doggett, Danny K. Davis, Don Bacon, Dwight Evans, and Jan Schakowsky ^[1]. Separately, Jared Golden is explicitly named in an op-ed retirement announcement that cites rising political violence and family safety concerns as motivating factors; his departure is framed as a district-level vulnerability with a notable GOP challenger, Paul LePage, interested in running for his seat ^[3]. The supplied materials do not present a single authoritative roster; rather, they highlight specific confirmed retirements within a broader and still-evolving exodus.

3. Where analysts agree: magnitude, historic context, and party tilt

Multiple sources agree this is an unusually large early exodus for the House, described as a record or near-record number of departures for the stage of the cycle being reported, with the trend compared to 2018 and other recent cycles ^{[2] [4]}. The supplied counts indicate more Republicans than Democrats signaling exits in most tallies — one set cites 20 GOP and 11 Democratic House members not running, another notes 17 Republicans and 10 Democrats, and analysts flag that Republicans are exiting at a higher rate in these snapshots ^{[1] [2] [4]}. The materials attribute departures to a mix of retirements, runs for higher office, and other career moves, not solely voluntary retirements from politics, which matters when assessing the partisan and practical implications for 2026.

4. Stated reasons and political consequences highlighted in the sources

In the provided materials, personal safety concerns and political violence are explicitly cited by at least one retiring member—Representative Jared Golden—who framed his decision in an op-ed that referenced threats and the toll on family life ^[3]. Other analyses infer structural drivers: the approaching midterms, redistricting, targeted national party efforts, and opportunities for upward mobility (Senate or governor runs) are listed as reasons many incumbents are not seeking re-election ^[4]. The reporting underscores electoral consequences: open seats create pickup opportunities, reshape primary dynamics, and can alter national House control calculations, especially when several vulnerable districts are involved ^{[3] [1]}.

5. How to reconcile these reports and what remains unsettled

The supplied documents show converging but not identical facts: a clear pattern of elevated departures is established, and several retirements are named and cross-referenced, but the exact number and full roster remain in flux because outlets timestamp and classify announcements differently ^[1]. For a definitive, up-to-the-minute list one must consult a running tracker that publishes methodology (who is counted and whether runs for other offices are included) and time-stamped updates; the materials here provide authoritative examples and named retirees but not a single final ledger. The most robust conclusion from these sources is that dozens of House incumbents are not seeking reelection in 2026, with a notable subgroup explicitly retiring from public life, and that the situation will continue to evolve as more candidates formalize decisions ^{[1] [4]}.