California Representative Eshoo Plans to Retire from House

Longtime California Democrat Rep. Anna Eshoo announced Tuesday she will not run for reelection next year.

Eshoo, 80, made the announcement in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

“I’m choosing this beautiful season of Thanksgiving to announce that I will not seek reelection and I do so with a heart filled with unending gratitude to you, my magnificent constituents,” Eshoo said in the video.

“For three decades, you’ve given me your trust, and I’ve given every fiber of my being to live up to the sacred trust in every way possible. … I’m very proud of the body of bipartisan work I’ve been able to achieve on your behalf in the Congress.”

Eshoo was first elected to Congress in 1992. She said she was the first woman and Democrat to represent her district.

Elected to the House after serving on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Eshoo spearheaded cybersecurity, innovation, and high-tech legislation.

She is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the top Democrat on its Health Subcommittee, Politico reported.

Eshoo’s district, District 16, includes parts of Santa Clara County, which in turn includes parts of San Jose, Santa Cruz County, and San Mateo County.

People rumored to be interested in running for Eshoo’s seat include California Sen. Josh Becker, Assemblymember Evan Low, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, San Jose Spotlight reported.

Eshoo was a mentor to Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who defeated eight-term incumbent Democrat Rep. Mike Honda in the general election in 2016.

“She also helped me build a relationship with Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi. It’s an incredible loss for the Bay Area,” Khanna told San José Spotlight. “Anna will be remembered for helping shape the innovation agenda for the Democratic Party, securing funding for research and development, and being helping in Speaker Pelosi’s rise and tenure as her closest confidant.”

More than three dozen House members have announced they will not seek reelection in 2024, either because they are retiring or seeking another office, The Washington Post reported. They include several California Democrats: Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, Grace Napolitano, and Tony Cárdenas.