Longtime Democratic Congresswoman Abruptly Reverses Course, Pulls Out of Reelection Bid
An 83-year old Democratic member of Congress who missed almost a month of votes has announced she is not seeking reelection.
Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida “missed 43 straight votes,” journalist Jamie Dupree posted on X earlier this month, at a time when Wilson had not yet indicated she was not running for reelection.
“I’m almost distraught,” she had told Axios last week. “It’s not true. I am still planning on running.”
At the time, a source told Axios she simply showed up to vote when she pleased.
“Missing votes is not a sign she’s sick or retiring. It’s a sign she’s Freddy Wilson. She shows up when she wants to and when she has to. She’s a force of nature,” the anonymous source told the outlet.
A week later, the story changed.
NEW: Florida Democrat Frederick Wilson, 83, will retire after her term ends.
Per https://t.co/hdFkcBuPgc (shown below), she missed every House vote between April and May — but reappeared in D.C. last week.
In a statement, Hakeem Jeffries said the House Democratic Caucus would… pic.twitter.com/fxkz7mGw7G
— Zach Schermele (@ZachSchermele) May 29, 2026
“This has been a journey. But it’s time. It’s time,” she told a crowd Friday while having a street named for her, according to Politico.
“I know all of you are saying, ‘What is the congresswoman going to do?’ Well, the congresswoman is going to not seek another term,” she said.
Wilson was first elected in 2010.
Wilson had made the announcement on Thursday, according to the Miami Herald.
Rep. Frederica Wilson Retiring From Congress After Wave Of Absenceshttps://t.co/XpF4obYCaB pic.twitter.com/t2QQCAsbP9
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 29, 2026
She said in an interview that she wanted to be “politically strategic” about her announcement, claiming she wanted to protect her seat for Democrats when Florida redrew its congressional district map.
“I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do? What would they say? Would District 24 be an easy target because Frederica is no longer there? I’m a strong candidate,” she said. “With me not here, would that weaken the survival of District 24?”
“God said to me, ‘Frederica, stay put and trust the process, and when it’s time, you will know,’” she said.
She said she will not yet say who, if anyone, she will support to take her place, saying “It’s time to find someone who I can trust.”
Rep. Frederica Wilson D-FL will not run for reelection in 2026. She is the 31st House member to retire. In all, 63 current House members won’t be back after 2026 – 38 Republicans & 25 Democrats. pic.twitter.com/vNVjcarlAu
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 29, 2026
“I’m going to vet all these candidates to see who I can trust to carry this mission forward.,” she said.
Despite missing more than 40 votes, she said that “Congress is hard. It’s not easy. It’s not a joke. It’s not fun. It’s hard work, and the people need a strong, strong advocate for District 24.”
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