A seat in Congress will be open in the 2026 election in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, which covers most of Central Washington. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse announced Wednesday morning that he will not seek reelection.
"Serving the Fourth District of Washington has been the honor of my life, and this decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,” Newhouse said in a statement.
According to NPR’s congressional retirement tracker, 10 senators and 44 House members have announced they do not plan to run for reelection to their current seats, as of Dec. 17, 2025.
Newhouse has represented Central Washington in Congress since 2015. He has described himself in the past as a pragmatic conservative, with a focus on agriculture and Washington’s energy portfolio.
He was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In last year's election, Trump declined to endorse Newhouse and instead backed Jerrod Sessler. Trump previously referred to Newhouse as a “weak and pathetic RINO” and criticized his impeachment vote. Newhouse won his most recent election by about six percentage points and did not lead the primary field.
Before being elected to Congress, Newhouse served as director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture and chaired the Congressional Western Caucus. He also has deep roots in farming, operating an 850-acre farm near Sunnyside. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Washington State University.
In his statement, Newhouse said he is confident there are capable candidates ready to step forward. He said he plans to continue serving through the end of his term.
“I thank my family for their steadfast love and support which allowed me this opportunity to serve. I am truly humbled by this uniquely American journey that took a farm boy from Sunnyside, Washington clear across the country to represent his friends and neighbors in the ‘other’ Washington,” Newhouse said in his statement.
