Twenty-three of the 39 House members who have already announced plans to retire or run for other offices are Republicans, on track to easily surpass the number of exits during the last Congress, when 21 Republicans were among the 45 House members who left at the end of their terms. Unlike the silver tsunami of retirements on the Democratic side, the Republican stampede for the exits is primarily a testament to political discontent.
Both parties feel confident that their most endangered incumbents will stick around and help their side fight for the gavel. But morale is low across the chamber, and some members are questioning whether the job is still worth it. The legislative grind has been overshadowed by censure wars, rising security fears and loyalty tests to former President Trump. House lawmakers have only spent a handful of days in Washington since July.