Longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, a liberal lion and the longest-serving member of Congress from New York, will not seek re-election.
Nadler represents a significant swath of the borough of Manhattan and had served as the chair and ranking member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, which put him at the center of three presidential impeachments.
In revealing his plans to The New York Times, Nadler admitted that his party and the country were in the midst of a generational change, and it was time for him to accept that reality.
He discussed what happened to former President Joe Biden, who gave in to calls from his party to step aside in the last election after a disastrous debate performance raised questions about his mental acuity.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Nadler told the Times.
Despite his seniority, Nadler was bound to face a robust primary challenge from a potentially wide field of younger and more progressive challengers.
Nadler’s sway in Washington was already waning. He was removed from his perch as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee at the start of this Congress, a sign that the party was pushing for younger leadership.
The Nadler seat is one of the bluest in the country, so it will likely remain in Democratic hands in the 2026 midterm elections.
NBC has reached out to the Nadler campaign for comment.
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