Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of his current term, ending a two-decade career in the U.S. House of Representatives. Buchanan, 74, represents Florida’s 16th Congressional District and is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Buchanan was first elected to Congress in 2006 and has served continuously since 2007. During his tenure, he held leadership roles on the tax-writing committee and its health subcommittee and backed major legislation on tax, trade, and health policy.
In a statement, Buchanan said serving his southwest Florida district “has been the honor of a lifetime” and that after 20 years in office, “it’s the right time to pass the torch and begin a new chapter.”
“Serving the people of Southwest Florida has been the honor of my lifetime,” said Buchanan. “Every achievement worth doing began with listening to my constituents and fighting for their priorities. I came to Congress to solve problems, to fight for working families and to help ensure this country remains a place where opportunity is available to everyone willing to work for it. After 20 years of service, I believe it’s the right time to pass the torch and begin a new chapter in my life.”
A statement from his office added:
Beyond economic and health policy, Buchanan became one of Congress’s leading advocates for animal welfare. His bipartisan legislation to ban animal cruelty and torture nationwide was signed into law in 2019, marking one of the most significant federal animal-protection reforms in U.S. history. He is the only member of the U.S. House of Representatives to receive the Humane Society’s national “Legislator of the Year Award” twice.
Buchanan has also been a leading voice on protecting Florida’s natural resources, working to combat red tide, safeguard water quality, and protect manatees and coastal ecosystems vital to Southwest Florida’s economy and way of life. His broader legislative accomplishments include creating a national veteran identification card, providing targeted tax relief for Florida’s citrus growers, bolstering military preparedness, and advancing bipartisan legislation to support small businesses, strengthen Medicare and improve care for those who served. Taken together, his record has consistently placed him among the most effective members of Congress, according to independent analyses by the Lugar Center.
Buchanan’s commitment to public service was shaped by his own American Dream success story. One of six children raised in a 900-square-foot home in Inkster, Michigan, he watched his father drive a school bus by day and work the assembly line at night to support his family. Buchanan later served in the Air National Guard and became the first in his family to graduate from college. With his wife Sandy, he started a small business that would grow into one of the most successful enterprises in the country, creating thousands of jobs.
A longtime civic and business leader, Buchanan previously chaired the Florida Chamber of Commerce and served on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. While raising their two sons, Matt and James, the Buchanans also built The Buchanan Foundation, now recognized as one of the leading philanthropic organizations serving Southwest Florida.
Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan, a longtime member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said Jan. 27 that he will not seek reelection after nearly two decades in Congress.- https://t.co/J0Ef6Abi3V
— CPA Practice Advisor (@cpapracadvisor) January 30, 2026
Buchanan’s retirement adds to a broader wave of departures from the House this election cycle.
He is the latest Republican to announce he will not seek re-election, joining more than two dozen GOP lawmakers opting to leave the chamber, along with dozens of Democrats who have also announced retirements.
His departure leaves an open seat in a district that has leaned Republican in recent elections. Primary contests to succeed Buchanan are expected in the coming months as candidates from both parties prepare for the 2026 elections.
Florida’s legislature, unlike several other GOP-run states, has not yet redrew its congressional seats to include more Democrats in its DC delegation.
