High-Ranking Democrat Announces Retirement

Maryland Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer, a longtime power broker who used to be Nancy Pelosi’s top aide in the House, announced that he will leave Congress at the end of his term. Hoyer, who is 86 years old, made the announcement from the House floor.

“I stand here now, after some 60 years in public service,” Hoyer said. “Mr. Speaker, I have decided not to seek another term in the People’s House. I make this decision with sadness, for I love this House, an institution the framers designed to reflect the will of the American people and to serve as the guardian of their liberty and their democracy.”

“I am deeply concerned that this House is not living up to the founders’ goals. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to examine their consciences, renew their courage, and carry out the responsibilities that the First Article of the Constitution demands,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer has been a leader in the Democratic Party for decades. He started his political career in the Maryland State Senate, where he served from 1966 to 1979. Later, he became a member of the state’s Board for Higher Education. In 1980, he won his first race for Congress.

He joined the House in 1981 and worked his way up through the ranks. From 2003 to 2007, he was the Democratic whip, and from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023, he was the majority leader.

Hoyer has been in Congress for 45 years, making him the longest-serving House member in Maryland history, according to his biography.

He said that the chamber had changed a lot since he first came there more than 40 years ago.

“The Congress I entered in 1981 was somewhat different,” Hoyer said. “Most Republicans and Democrats worked together in a collegial, productive way. The leaders of the House, Tip O’Neill and Bob Michael, fostered that environment. It was, of course, not a Congress without conflict.”

“I fear that America is heading not toward greatness, but toward smallness, pettiness, divisiveness, and loneliness,” he added.

A recent poll from the Napolitan News Service, conducted online by Scott Rasmussen with fieldwork by RMG Research, Inc., found Republicans leading Democrats by four percentage points on the generic congressional ballot.

The survey focused primarily on voter preferences ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“If the election were held today, would you vote for the Republican from your district or the Democrat from your district?” respondents were asked.

The poll also examined voter enthusiasm, policy priorities and demographic factors that may influence turnout, though full cross-tabulated results were not publicly released.

Among registered voters surveyed, 45 percent said they would support the Republican candidate in their district, while 41 percent said they would vote for the Democratic candidate, giving Republicans a four-point advantage.

When independent “leaners” were included, the margin remained the same, with Republicans at 48 percent and Democrats at 44 percent.

The results mark a slight expansion of the GOP’s advantage compared with September 2025, when Republicans held a narrower 46–45 percent lead including leaners.

Republicans have led the generic ballot in most months of 2025, with Democrats posting modest advantages in April and May and the two parties tied at 47 percent each in August.

Although the Napolitan News poll showed Republicans ahead on the generic ballot, Democrats held a slight two-point edge in voter enthusiasm, 50 percent to 48 percent.

The survey found notable differences in enthusiasm within the Republican coalition. Among voters who favor Trump-aligned policies, 43 percent said they were “very enthusiastic” about voting, compared with 22 percent among those who prefer traditional Republican approaches — suggesting a potential motivational gap within the party’s base.

Enthusiasm levels also varied sharply across age groups. Voters 65 and older expressed the highest enthusiasm, with 57 percent saying they were “very enthusiastic.” That figure dropped to 27 percent among voters ages 18–34 and 35–44.

Among respondents who described themselves as “very enthusiastic,” 64 percent said they discuss politics every day or almost every day, indicating that high engagement correlates strongly with enthusiasm to vote.

No additional demographic details — including gender, region, race, or education — were released beyond the topline results.