U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) announced Thursday that she will not be seeking re-election in 2026. Velázquez, who was first elected in 1992, joins a number of longtime Democrats whom have also announced their retirements ahead of the pivotal midterm cycle.
Velázquez, 72, told the New York Times that she felt it was necessary to step aside due to a growing desire for generational change in the Democratic Party. “I love this work and I love my district, but I believe now is the right moment to step aside and allow a new generation of leaders to step forward,” she said.
The congresswoman, who represents the Empire State’s Seventh Congressional District, pointed to the recent election of Zohran Mamdani in New York City as an indicator of where Democratic Party voters are trending. She added that she has confidence in party leaders of the future and felt it was time to pass the torch.
New York’s Seventh Congressional District is a safe Democrat-controlled seat with a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+30. It encompasses diverse urban neighborhoods in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, including in Queens: Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside, Maspeth, Ridgewood and large swaths of Brooklyn.
Velázquez has served 16 full terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as of the end of her current term in 2026, having been first elected in a 1992 special election and taking office in 1993, for a total of over 33 years in Congress.
As chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from 2009 through 2011, she led efforts to confirm Sonia Sotomayor as the first Latina U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 2009. Velázquez currently serves as ranking member on the House Committee on Small Businesses and also sits on House committees for financial regulations and natural resources.
Velazquez holds the distinction of being the first Puerto Rican member of Congress
As of this report, no candidates have declared for the Democratic Party primary, though it is expected to be a crowded primary field.
Velázquez jones fellow New York congressman Jerry Nadler in stepping down before the upcoming elections. Like the Seventh District, Nadler represents a deep blue district that has multiple high-profile candidates vying for the party nomination.
The announcement also comes just days after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she too would be retiring after drawing two formidable primary challengers.
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