U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) announced on June 7, 2021 that she would not seek reelection in the 2022 midterm elections. The announcement marks the end of a 30-year career in Congress for the longest-serving member of the House from Silicon Valley.
Eshoo, who was first elected in 1992, had quietly filed to run for reelection in 2021 earlier this year. However, in her announcement, Eshoo said she believe it was the right time for her to step aside for new leadership.
She said she would focus her efforts on the “daunting long-term challenges facing our country”—including climate change, health care reform, and economic inequality.
Eshoo’s decision to not seek reelection could have major implications for the 2022 midterms, as Democrats fight to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives. Given Eshoo’s popularity in her district, her retirement opens up a seat that could be difficult for Democrats to hold onto.
