Georgia Rep Barry Loudermilk won’t seek re-election in 2026
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Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to a seventh term, becoming the latest Republican lawmaker to resign amid a growing wave of GOP retirements ahead of the next election cycle.
Loudermilk released a statement announcing his retirement, saying it was a “tremendous honor” to represent the people of Northwest Georgia for six terms.
He also said he focused on protecting the U.S. Constitution and representing the 11th Congressional District during his tenure.
“I first ran for Congress in 2014, and as I said then, representing the people in Congress is a service, not a career; while I continue to receive strong support from the people of the 11th Congressional District, I believe now is the time to contribute to my community, my state, and my nation in other ways,” he said. “Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection at the end of my current term in Congress.”
THE HOUSE IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF A GOP MAJORITY AS THE ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIVE ELECTIONS CONTINUE
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., speaks to the House Elections Subcommittee on January 6 at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2026. (Getty Images)
Loudermilk said he has learned throughout his life that doing the right thing is not always easy, popular or convenient, and he and his wife prayed and discussed the decision extensively.
“This is not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one,” he said. “While serving my constituents in Congress is among my greatest honors, being a husband, father and grandfather is of even greater importance to me, and I wish I could devote more time to my family at this time.”
He concluded by thanking the people of the county for allowing him to serve and his staff for their “outstanding service” to the county, state and nation.
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Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., chairs the House Administration Committee Subcommittee on Oversight on “U.S. Capitol Police Oversight” on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Getty Images)
Loudermilk’s decision comes as lawmakers in both parties are weighing the cost of another election cycle, with redistricting, an early primary election calendar and an increasingly national political climate influencing decisions ahead of the next midterm elections.
Loudermilk becomes at least the 29th Republican to announce plans not to seek re-election at the end of the current term, part of a broader wave of defections from the House. Twenty-first House Democrats also announced they would not seek reelection.
REP. LAMALFA’S DEATH FURTHER REDUCES THE REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MAJORITY
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., attends the House Ways and Means Committee mark-up of the reconciliation directive of the Concurrent Resolution on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget at the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Bill Clark/Getty Images)
Last Tuesday, Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said he would not seek reelection, ending his two-decade career in Washington at the age of 74.
“After 20 years of service, I believe it is the right time to pass the torch and start a new chapter in my life,” Buchanan said in a statement. he said.
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Other Republicans not seeking re-election include Reps. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Troy Nehls, R-Texas.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
