Rep. Nydia Velázquez announced Thursday evening that she will not seek re-election in 2026, marking the end of a historic 16-term career in Congress.
“Serving the people of New York City for over three decades has been the honor of my life,” Velázquez said in a post on social media. “Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, nothing I have accomplished would have been possible without your support.”
Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress and a key figure in the city's progressive political movement, has represented parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens since 1993. She has endorsed several rising Democrats over the years, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and city councilmembers Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés and Sandy Nurse.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Velázquez is a "trailblazer whose leadership has opened doors for generations" of residents.
“For more than three decades, she has led with unshakable purpose and delivered meaningful progress for women, veterans, immigrants and communities too often left behind," Hochul said in a statement. “We became friends when I served with her in Congress, and I’ve continued to seek her wisdom as Governor.”
Velázquez also backed Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who has represented parts of Queens in the state Assembly, in his successful bid for mayor.
“From Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, Rep. @NydiaVelazquez has always been a champion and tireless advocate for immigrants, small businesses and working families,” Mamdani said on social media. “Your grace and fight showed us what real leadership looks like. From the bottom of my heart, thank you La Luchadora.”
Velázquez was born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico and moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree. In Congress, she became the first Latina to chair a full committee and helped launch the Women-Owned Small Business contracting program, which became law in 2001.
She worked with President Barack Obama on the confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She also fought for a more humane immigration system and joined Rep. Jerry Nadler at JFK Airport in 2017 to help free detained travelers during the Trump administration’s Muslim travel ban.
More recently, she was one of just 13 House members to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and has long supported Puerto Rico’s right to self-determination.
“I do not yet know what the next chapter holds, but I know I will continue fighting for the city I love and for an end to Puerto Rico’s colonial status,” Velázquez said in a formal statement. “Serving New York has been the honor of my life. I will always be grateful for the trust my constituents placed in me over all these years.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
