Top Democrat Who Led Trump Impeachment Won’t Seek Re-Election
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the longest-serving New Yorker in the House and one of the Democrats’ most partisan figures, announced Monday he will not seek reelection in 2026.
The 78-year-old Democrat, who has been in Congress since 1992 and in politics since the late 1970s, cited “generational change” as his reason for stepping down. His announcement comes in the wake of former President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race after being decisively defeated in a debate by President Donald J. Trump.
Nadler told The New York Times that a younger Democrat “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.” At the same time, he repeated the tired Democratic talking point that President Trump represents “incipient fascism.”
Democrats often brand Trump as “authoritarian” or a “fascist,” but the reality has been quite the opposite: Trump has frequently had his policies blocked or delayed by activist courts — rulings many conservatives argue stretch constitutional limits.
Nadler admitted that stepping down “has not been easy,” but said, “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.”
Despite his pledge to stay “fully engaged in the community,” Nadler’s legacy is already defined. As House Judiciary Committee chairman from 2019 to 2023, Nadler led Democrats’ partisan effort to impeach Trump — a political charade that collapsed in the Senate. He later lost influence within his own caucus, stepping down in December 2024 after Rep. Jamie Raskin mounted a challenge for his committee post.
Nadler now also faces pressure from a new generation of Democrats. Twenty-six-year-old Liam Elkind has already launched a primary bid, telling CBS that the party needs to be “more generationally relevant” and better organized.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a glowing statement praising Nadler, crediting him with “two historic impeachments” and left-wing causes such as the Respect for Marriage Act. Jeffries lauded Nadler as “a relentless fighter for justice, civil rights and liberties,” though conservatives will remember him more for his partisanship and decades of big-government advocacy.
Nadler’s long tenure has not been without controversy. In June, Department of Homeland Security officers handcuffed one of his aides during a raid on his Manhattan district office, located in the same federal building as an immigration courthouse. The incident, captured on video and shared by Gothamist, showed DHS officers accusing Nadler’s staff of “harboring rioters.” One staffer broke down in tears as she was handcuffed, while others demanded to see a warrant.
For Nadler, the announcement marks the end of an era defined less by achievement and more by obstruction, impeachment politics, and loyalty to the Democratic establishment. His departure clears the way for fresh faces — though whether they will steer Democrats toward moderation or double down on the far-left agenda remains to be seen.