The Democratic Party was shaken up this week after a veteran House member announced that she will not seek reelection in 2026, which is especially interesting given the recent momentum New York Dems received from the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

According to Politico, Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) surprised the party this week by confirming she's stepping down from her position, opting to not seek reelection next year. 

Not surprisingly, her decision not to seek a 17th term in the lower chamber sparked an immediate ruckus regarding who in the party will take her place, as there are plenty of takers in that regard.

She's the second seasoned New York House member to announce their retirement, as her news comes on the heels of Manhattan Rep. Jerry Nadler, 78, retiring after his term.

What's going on?

Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress, said she knows it's time for a generational change, admitting that there's a "pipeline" of younger candidates qualified to take her seat.

She happens to be closely aligned with the party's younger, radically progressive members, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Mamdani.

“New York’s recent mayoral election showed that Americans are hungry for change and determined to build a better future,” she told Politico in a statement.

ALERT: After more than three decades in Congress, 72-year-old Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) has announced she will not seek reelection. pic.twitter.com/ankJBQqeDT

— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) November 21, 2025

Politico noted:

The House member’s career has been colored by her focus on immigrants, federal aid for Puerto Rico and the working class. More recently, she has been a forceful opponent to the Trump administration’s deportation agenda and is a frequent presence at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been arresting and holding migrants for removal from the country.

In other words, while she won't be missed by at least half of Congress, her successor will probably be from the same cut as Mamdani.

Social media reacts

Many social media users commented on her exit, even insisting that Congress enact term limits to prevent members from staying for decades.

"Congress should have a mandatory retirement age of 65, the same as commercial airline pilots. Congress is not a nursing home!!" one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "About two decades too many. It's long past time to implement term limits."

It'll be interesting to see the frenzy of radical, younger Democrats who will undoubtedly fight to take her seat next year.