Rep. Anna Eshoo, a Democrat representing parts of California’s Silicon Valley, announced Tuesday that she will not run for reelection next year, marking the end of her more than three decades in Congress.
“I’m choosing this beautiful season of Thanksgiving to announce that I will not be seeking reelection,” Eshoo said in a video posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “And I do so with a heart filled with unending gratitude to you, my magnificent constituents.”
Eshoo’s retirement will likely kick off a fierce race for her seat in California’s 16th Congressional District, which encompasses Silicon Valley as well as parts of Santa Jose and San Mateo County. It is a safe Democratic seat that the 80-year-old has occupied since being elected in 1992 as the first woman and Democrat to ever represent the area. She previously served for a decade on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
Eshoo joins more than a dozen House Democrats who are opting to retire or run for another office next year. She said in the video announcement that she made her decision after reflecting on her record of accomplishments in the chamber, including her time as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“I’m very proud of the body of bipartisan work I’ve been able to achieve on your behalf in the Congress,” Eshoo said in a message to her constituents. She said she’ll be leaving public office with more than 60 bills she introduced having been signed into law.
In a statement, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries saluted Eshoo’s years of public service.
“It is fitting that Silicon Valley has been represented by a prolific legislator, innovator, and barrier breaker like Anna Eshoo,” the New York Democrat said. “Anna has been a personal mentor and source of encouragement and inspiration throughout my journey in Congress and I wish her and her family the best in this new chapter at the conclusion of a historic Congressional career.”
Eshoo is the sixth California Democrat this year to announce they are either retiring or seeking other offices. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, who has represented California’s San Fernando Valley for nearly three decades, also said this week that he will be retiring when his term is up.