Rep. Jerry Nadler will not seek reelection in 2026, he announced Tuesday, heeding Democrats\u2019 calls for senior lawmakers to step aside and allow for younger candidates to run for office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis decision has not been easy. But I know in my heart it is the right one and that it is the right time to pass the torch to a new generation,\u201d Nadler, who is 78, said in a\u00a0statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nadler\u2019s retirement,\u00a0first reported<\/a>\u00a0by The New York Times on Monday, comes amid a growing push for the Democratic Party to prioritize\u00a0younger leadership<\/a>\u00a0and generational change.<\/p>\n Nadler is the\u00a0fourth<\/a>\u00a0Democratic member of Congress this session to announce that he will retire next year. Meanwhile, many older lawmakers in the party have\u00a0doubled down on plans<\/a>\u00a0to run again in the 2026 midterm elections despite pressure to clear a path for younger challengers.<\/p>\n The New York congressman has served in Congress for 32 years. He was the top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee from 2017 until the beginning of this year, a role that included leading impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. He\u00a0announced in December<\/a>\u00a0that he would not seek reelection for the ranking member position.<\/p>\n \u201cI look back with great pride on all that I\u2019ve been able to accomplish in Congress,\u201d his statement said.<\/p>\n Nadler\u2019s announcement will almost certainly set up a competitive primary in the solidly blue 12th Congressional district.<\/p>\n A person familiar with Nadler\u2019s thinking told The New York Times that the congressman will support New York state Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who previously served as an aide to Nadler, if he runs.<\/p>\n The district \u2014 New York City\u2019s\u00a0wealthiest<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 also houses several prominent Manhattan neighborhoods, and New York strategists\u00a0have suggested<\/a>\u00a0that other politicians like New York City Councilmember Julie Menin and former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan could also jump in. Other\u00a0city<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0state<\/a>\u00a0representatives have also expressed interest.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s at least one political newcomer who has jumped in already. Liam Elkind, 26, announced in late July that he would run against Nadler in a quest for younger, newer leadership in Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we have one shot left to get our country back or we\u2019re at risk of becoming a permanent minority party,\u201d Elkind told NOTUS last month in an interview. \u201cThe only people we protect are our own incumbents.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI respect Congressman Nadler tremendously, but I also think there has to be a way for us to honor our leaders\u2019 50-year political careers and also encourage them to build bridges to the next generation,\u201d Elkind said this summer before Nadler\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n