Rep. Jim Clyburn Seeks 18th House Term

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the longtime Democratic leader from South Carolina, announced Thursday that he will seek an 18th term in the House of Representatives, defying calls for generational turnover among his party's aging lawmakers at a time when Democrats anticipate a competitive fight to reclaim control of Congress.

The 85-year-old congressman, who turns 86 in July, made the announcement at Democratic Party headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina, the capital city in his district. Clyburn, first elected in 1992, represents the 6th Congressional District, which stretches from urban areas around Columbia through rural central and eastern counties to the coastal city of Charleston. He secured reelection in 2024 by more than 20 percentage points in a district that leans Democratic by 13 points, positioning his seat as one of the safer incumbencies in the House.

Clyburn's decision comes amid a wave of retirements among top Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, both of whom plan to leave Congress at the end of their current terms. Clyburn, who served as majority whip and assistant Democratic leader, is the...