Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington’s 4th Congressional District and one of just two House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack still serving in Congress, announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026. His decision, revealed on December 17, 2025, marks the end of a notable congressional tenure that has spanned over a decade and weathered the shifting tides of national and party politics.
“Serving the Fourth District of Washington has been the honor of my life, and this decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,” Newhouse said in a statement, as reported by multiple outlets, including NPR and local Washington news sources. Newhouse, 70, hails from Sunnyside, where his family operates an 850-acre farm growing hops, cherries, and other crops—a deep-rooted connection to the agricultural heart of his district.
Newhouse’s political journey began long before he reached Capitol Hill. After becoming active in the state’s hop growers association and local farm bureaus, he successfully ran for a seat in the Washington House of Representatives in 2002, serving from 2003 to 2009. His agricultural expertise led Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire to appoint him as director of the state Department of Agriculture, where he served for four years. His bipartisan credentials were evident even then, as Gregoire cited his “wealth of practical experience as a farmer” in her decision.
In 2014, Newhouse entered Congress by narrowly defeating former professional football player Clint Didier in an all-Republican general election, succeeding longtime GOP Rep. Doc Hastings. Since then, he has represented central Washington’s deep-red 4th District, which stretches from the Canadian border to the Oregon state line and encompasses the Yakima Valley, the Yakama Indian Reservation, and the Tri-Cities. The region has been a Republican stronghold since the early 1990s, with the last Democrat to hold the seat being Jay Inslee, who won in 1992 but lost reelection after one term.
Newhouse’s congressional record is marked by his committee assignments and his advocacy for rural and agricultural issues. He currently serves on the Appropriations and Agriculture committees, as well as the select committee on China. On Appropriations, he is a member of subcommittees overseeing the Agriculture Department’s budget and the Homeland Security Department’s budget, as well as the Energy-Water subcommittee—a particularly relevant post for his district, given its proximity to the Hanford Site. Hanford, less than 50 miles from Newhouse’s home, is the largest Energy Department cleanup site in the country and played a key role in U.S. nuclear history as the production site of plutonium for the “Fat Man” bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
But perhaps nothing defined Newhouse’s recent years in Congress more than his decision to break ranks with most of his party and vote to impeach President Trump after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was one of just 10 House Republicans to do so, stating, “A vote against this impeachment is a vote to validate the unacceptable violence we witnessed in our nation’s capital. It is also a vote to condone the president’s inaction.” According to NPR and Roll Call, only Newhouse and Rep. David Valadao of California remain in the House from that group, as most others either lost reelection bids or chose to retire.
Trump and his allies took note of Newhouse’s stance. In the 2022 primary, Trump endorsed Loren Culp, but Culp finished third behind Newhouse and a Democratic candidate in Washington’s all-party primary system. Two years later, Trump endorsed Navy veteran Jerrod Sessler and nurse Tiffany Smiley, the 2022 Republican Senate nominee. Newhouse finished second to Sessler in the primary but defeated him in the general election, 52 percent to 46 percent, likely benefiting from support among the district’s Democratic voters. Sessler, a former NASCAR driver and founder of HomeTask—a website connecting customers to local home service providers—is making a third attempt at the seat in 2026.
Newhouse’s early announcement not to seek reelection sets the stage for what could be a crowded and contentious Republican primary next August. The 2022 contest saw six Republicans challenge Newhouse, largely due to his impeachment vote, and a similar dynamic is expected this cycle. At least one Democrat, retired Air Force officer John Duresky—who also worked at the Hanford nuclear cleanup site—has announced his candidacy, though the district’s history suggests a tough road for any Democratic contender.
Newhouse’s departure is part of a much larger exodus from Congress ahead of the 2026 midterms. According to NPR’s congressional retirement tracker, as of December 17, 2025, more than 10% of Congress—54 members, including 10 senators and 44 House members—have announced they will not return after the next election. This wave includes high-profile figures like California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who plans to resign on January 5, 2026. The reasons for leaving are varied: some, like Newhouse, are retiring from public office, while others are running for governor, Senate, or other political posts. Redistricting, narrow majorities, and dissatisfaction with Trump’s second-term agenda have all played a role in these decisions. Texas and California, in particular, have seen significant redistricting efforts, resulting in a reshuffling of congressional boundaries and influencing incumbents’ choices to retire or seek other offices.
For Republicans, the departures pose both challenges and opportunities. Many of the outgoing members represent deep-red districts likely to remain in GOP hands, but Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to flip the House. Recent electoral successes have buoyed Democratic hopes, while Republicans face the twin hurdles of redistricting and an electorate expressing frustration with the current administration’s agenda.
Meanwhile, the House and Senate are seeing a generational shift, as older lawmakers from both parties step aside. Among Democrats, this includes not just Pelosi but also Sens. Dick Durbin and Jeanne Shaheen, and Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Dwight Evans, and Danny Davis. On the Republican side, several members are eyeing gubernatorial or Senate runs, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Byron Donalds, Elise Stefanik, and others.
As Newhouse looks ahead to life after Congress, he expressed confidence in the future of his district. “I do so with confidence that there are now qualified and serious people expressing interest in this office,” he said. While the field is wide open for new contenders, Newhouse leaves behind a legacy of bipartisan service, agricultural advocacy, and a willingness to take principled stands—even at political cost.
With more than a tenth of Congress preparing to exit the stage and the 2026 midterms looming, the coming months promise to reshape the landscape of American politics, both in Washington state and across the nation.
