House Republican Vern Buchanan to Retire — Latest Domino to Fall in Capitol Hill GOP Exodus

(Chris O’Meara/AP photo)

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has announced he will retire from Congress at the end of his term, joining dozens of other Republican lawmakers heading for the exits.

Buchanan, 74, who has served in the House since 2007, revealed on Tuesday that he would not seek reelection, saying, “It’s the right time to pass the torch.”

“Serving the people of Southwest Florida has been the honor of my lifetime,” Buchanan said in a statement. “Every achievement worth doing began with listening to my constituents and fighting for their priorities. I came to Congress to solve problems, to fight for working families and to help ensure this country remains a place where opportunity is available to everyone willing to work for it. After 20 years of service, I believe it’s the right time to pass the torch and begin a new chapter in my life.”

Buchanan is the 28th Republican to avoid a re-election bid in the 2026 election cycle, according to BallotPedia.

He joins fellow Floridian Neal Dunn, Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA), who have all called it quits in the last two months alone.

Buchanan spent his entire congressional career on the House Ways and Means Committee, a panel he was in line to chair in 2022. He ultimately lost out to the committee’s current chairman, fellow Republican Jason Smith of Missouri.

At the time, Buchanan lost it on then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, accusing him of whipping votes against him, according to Tara Palmeri of Puck News.

“You f*cked me,” Buchanan reportedly fumed at McCarthy.

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