Congress

NBC News - The latest retirements mean 60 members of Congress have decided not to run for re-election this year — 51 House members and nine senators. It’s the most retirements from both chambers combined this century, according to historical data from the Brookings Institution’s Vital Statistics on Congress. That includes lawmakers who are retiring from political life altogether and those leaving their seats to run for other offices, but it doesn’t include members who have resigned or died during the current Congress.

The number of House departures is inching closer to a recent high in 2018, when 52 lawmakers didn’t run for re-election. And, as in 2018, which was a bruising election year for the GOP, more House Republicans are heading for the exits than Democrats.

Lawmakers can choose to retire for a variety of reasons, including the personal — health issues or long commutes to Washington infringing on time with family — and the political, from chasing opportunities to run for higher offices to weighing the unappealing prospect of being relegated to the minority. And on top of it all, Congress can simply be a frustrating place to work.