Democrat Announces She's Leaving Congress

Representative Annie Kuster announced she is not seeking reelection in a Congressional district won by President Joe Biden by single digits in 2020.

Kuster, who chairs the centrist New Democratic Coalition and was elected in 2012, is retiring from representing New Hampshire's Second Congressional District, she wrote in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday.

She is the latest member of Congress to say they are departing at the end of the year, leaving open a Congressional district that has leaned Democratic in recent election cycles. Still, margins have been close in recent elections, with Biden winning by only 8.8 points over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential race.

"As I look to the future, I am excited by the work and opportunities that lie ahead. We all have a role to play in standing up for what we believe in, advocating for a better future, and pursuing the change that we want to see. I always said I was not going to stay in Congress forever—I will not be seeking re-election in 2024," Kuster wrote in the statement.

She pledged to continue serving the rest of her term to "help Congress build on the progress we have made and finish the job for the American people."

Kuster won reelection by about 12 percentage points in the 2022 midterm elections and has a history of outrunning the top of the ticket. In 2020, while Biden won by fewer than 9 points, Kuster won reelection by just over 10 points. In 2016, when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the district by just over two points, Kuster won by about 4.5 points.

Her district includes the westernmost parts of New Hampshire, including the state's second- and third-largest cities, Nashua and Concord. Liberal-leaning cities such as Keene and Hanover, home of Dartmouth College, have helped bolster Democrats in the district.

Newsweek reached out to Kuster's campaign for comment via email.

Prior to her retirement, the 2024 race has not been viewed as particularly competitive. The National Republican Congressional Committee (RNCC) did not list it in the 37 seats they view as their top pickup opportunities for November, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) did not list the election as a "frontline" race.

The Cook Political Report classifies the race as "likely Democratic," meaning it is "not considered competitive at this point" but has "the potential to become engaged."

Republicans celebrated her departure.

"Yet another extreme House Democrat does not want anything to do with running on the same ballot with failure Joe Biden. Add her to the ever growing list of Democrats fleeing for the exits rather than defend a broken border, rising gas prices and slow economy," NRCC spokeswoman Savannah Viar wrote in a statement.

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, responded to Kuster's retirement in a post to X.

"It's been an honor and a privilege to work alongside @RepAnnieKuster to improve the lives of Granite Staters. Congresswoman Kuster has worked tirelessly to protect women's reproductive rights, address the opioid epidemic in our state and provide support for survivors of sexual violence. Our New Hampshire delegation will miss her. I wish her and her family the best in their next chapter," she wrote.