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U.S. Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez will not seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to a 33-year career in Congress. <\/p>\n
U.S. Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez, who represents parts of Queens and Brooklyn in Congress, announced that she will not seek reelection next year at the end of her 16th term in office.\n<\/p>\n
Vel\u00e1zquez 72, became the first Puerto Rican ever elected to Congress in 1992 but announced Thursday night that she would not be seeking a 17th term in office.\n<\/p>\n
In a Nov. 20 statement announcing the move, Vel\u00e1zquez said she had \u201cpoured her heart\u201d into everything she had done in Congress, stating that she first ran over three decades ago because she believed the voices in her community were not being heard, including \u201cimmigrants, workers and families struggling to get by.\u201d<\/p>\n
A trailblazing Democratic figure on the Hill, Vel\u00e1zquez was the first Latina to ever serve on the New York City Council and also became the first Latina to chair a full committee in Congress when she chaired the Small Business Committee. She also chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and worked with former President Barack Obama to help confirm Justice Sonia Sotomayor as the first Latin woman on the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Known as \u201cLa Luchadora\u201d (Spanish for \u201cThe Fighter), Vel\u00e1zquez ousted nine-term Congress member Stephen Solarz in the newly-drawn 12th Congressional District in 1992 which boasted a majority-Hispanic population.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack then, there were only three Latinas in the House. One of the greatest honors of my career has been helping open the doors for those who came after us.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Vel\u00e1zquez has often been described a mentor for young, progressive officials in Congress, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.\n<\/p>\n
She described herself as a \u201cconsistent voice for peace\u201d in Washington, touting her opposition to the war in Iraq in 2003 and, more recently, her calls for an immediate ceasefire during the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Vel\u00e1zquez, who currently represents New York\u2019s 7th Congressional District in Queens and North Brooklyn, insisted that there is \u201cstill so much work to be done,\u201d pointing to a cost-of-living crisis and alleged efforts by the Trump Administration to \u201cundermine\u201d civil rights and democracy. However, she also stated that she has full confidence in a \u201cnew generation of leaders\u201d to respond to existing political challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur country faces crises on multiple fronts,\u201d Vel\u00e1zquez said in a statement announcing her retirement. \u201cBut I believe in the resiliency of the American people and the ability of a new generation of leaders who are ready for these great challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also pointed to the recent election of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, stating that Mamdani\u2019s victory is proof that New Yorkers are \u201chungry for change.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\u201cNew York\u2019s recent mayoral election showed that Americans are hungry for change and determined to build a better future,\u201d Vel\u00e1zquez said. \u201cMy district is home to so many dedicated elected officials, community leaders, and activists, and I have complete confidence that NY-7 will remain in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a separate interview with the New York Times,<\/a> which broke the story, Vel\u00e1zquez said she feels \u201cat ease\u201d after helping to elect \u201cyoung leaders,\u201d including Mamdani.<\/p>\n She further told the publication that she felt like it was the \u201cright time\u201d to step aside in the district.\n<\/p>\n Her retirement follows that of U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York\u2019s 12th Congressional District, who announced in September that he would not be seeking another term in office, sparking a frenzied challenge for his soon-to-be-vacant seat. At least 10 candidates have announced bids to run in the district, while more moderate New York Congressional Democrats will face challenges from left-wing members of the party in the primaries next year, including Daniel Goldman, Hakeem Jeffries and Adriano Espaillat.<\/p>\n The race to succeed Vel\u00e1zquez in District 7 is likely to be just as frenzied as the race to succeed Nadler in District 12. Vel\u00e1zquez\u2019s district, including neighborhoods such as Long Island City,<\/a> Sunnyside, Greenpoint and Bushwick, is one of the most progressive districts in the state, with Mamdani picking up more than 80% of the vote in a number of precincts within the district during the recent mayoral election.<\/p>\n Vel\u00e1zquez did not name a possible successor in the district but told the New York Times that she would consider an endorsement closer to the June primary.\n<\/p>\n No candidate had announced intentions to run prior to Vel\u00e1zquez\u2019s announcement on Thursday, a mark of her popularity in the district.\n<\/p>\n A number of prominent elected officials have paid tribute to Vel\u00e1zquez since the announcement, including Mamdani and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.\n<\/p>\n