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Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez of New York — the first Puerto Rican woman ever elected to Congress — announced she will not seek re-election next year after more than three decades in office.
“For more than three decades, I have had the privilege of a lifetime serving the people of New York City in the United States Congress. After much reflection, I have decided that this will be my last term in Congress. This was not an easy decision, but I believe that the time is right for me to move on and for a new generation of leaders to step forward,” she said in a statement.
The long-serving lawmaker first took office in 1993 and has been a prominent member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus throughout her tenure.
Velázquez used her announcement to criticize President Donald Trump’s administration, accusing it of “working to undermine civil rights and our democracy.”
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U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., holds a protest sign with fellow Democrats as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
“It has been a great honor to work with my colleague, friend, and fellow New Yorker, @NydiaVelazquez,” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a post on X. “The first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, Nydia ‘La Luchadora’ has been a progressive trailblazer and fighter for her district, the poor, and Puerto Rico.”
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Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., arrives to a news conference on the American Dream and Promise Act in the Capitol Visitor Center on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Velázquez and Nadler are both listed as members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
“I know, most importantly, she will be a missed friend to progressive causes in the halls of Congress. Like her, I understand that there comes a time to pass the torch to the next generation to be the fighters in DC that we need,” Nadler noted in the post.
DEMOCRATIC REP. JERRY NADLER WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., prior to speaking to members of the media in New York, on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Nadler announced earlier this year that he will not pursue re-election in 2026.
