Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer will be retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his term, multiple sources reported Wednesday evening.
Hoyer, who served for years in party leadership and helped steer Democrats through some of their most significant legislative victories, will deliver a speech on the House floor Thursday at 10 a.m., a spokeswoman told WTOP.
The Washington Post first reported that in a sit-down interview, the 86-year-old legislator said he reached the decision over the holidays with his family. Hoyer said he wanted to pass “the baton” while he was still in good health.
Washington Post reporter Paul Kane told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli that Hoyer is still “pretty darn sharp,” though the longtime Maryland Democrat who represents the 5th District suffered a stroke in August 2024.
“He didn’t want to be one of those people who stuck around and ended up being pushed around in a wheelchair or getting too forgetful,” Kane said. “There’s been a lot of those in recent years, Democrats and Republicans alike in Congress.”
Hoyer is the third-longest serving member of the U.S. House, having held his seat since 1982.
“I think that Steny Hoyer has basically come to a peaceful point in his life where he has decided he accomplished everything he possibly could have, and that now is the time to finally step away from politics after close to 60 years,” WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller said.
Hoyer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both worked together for the same lawmaker when they first got their start in Congress decades ago. The pair rose through the congressional ranks together, with Hoyer serving as the No. 2 leader among House Democrats for many years.
He served as House majority leader when Pelosi became the first woman to serve as speaker of the House. While they had a longtime rivalry, Miller said, they also had a healthy respect for each other.
Hoyer has previously acknowledged he would have liked to have become House speaker, but that it was not meant to be.
He stepped down from his role as House majority leader in 2022, endorsing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as his successor. Hoyer continued his role as a Maryland representative and member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Despite his decision to step down, the veteran lawmaker still had a major impact on Maryland politics in recent years. He provided an early endorsement to Wes Moore, who now serves as the Old Line state’s governor and is seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party. Hoyer also endorsed Angela Alsobrooks, now Maryland’s junior U.S. senator.
Possible ripple effects from Hoyer exit
Hoyer’s departure could lead to a shake-up on the Prince George’s County Council, setting off a contested primary. In Prince George’s County, at least one member of the county council and one state delegate were waiting to see what Hoyer’s next steps would be, with the intention of jumping in if the longtime incumbent decided to retire.
“It’s going to cause a ripple effect,” Kane said. “You’ll probably end up with people in small city councils who end up getting seats for the first time in their life in politics because of the ripple effect that this creates throughout the region.”
In terms of the 5th District race, Miller said it will very likely be a competitive race with many candidates vying for the seat.
“I think it’s just going to be a very, very difficult position to fill,” Miller said. “Obviously, you have a change in the generations moving forward, but Steny Hoyer has just had a profound impact on Maryland politics.”
WTOP’s Mitchell Miller contributed to this report.
