Rep. Nydia Velázquez, known as La Luchadora, announced she will retire in 2026 after more than 30 years in Congress. The 72-year-old, the first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, has served since 1993 and held leadership roles including chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Her departure opens a competitive Democratic primary in her Brooklyn-Queens district and drew praise from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul. Velázquez currently serves as ranking member of the House Small Business Committee and sits on the House Financial Services Committee.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez ('La Luchadora') to Retire in 2026, Opening Competitive Primary in Brooklyn-Queens
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, known as La Luchadora, announced she will retire in 2026 after more than 30 years in Congress. The 72-year-old, the first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, has served since 1993 and held leadership roles including chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Her departure opens a competitive Democratic primary in her Brooklyn-Queens district and drew praise from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul. Velázquez currently serves as ranking member of the House Small Business Committee and sits on the House Financial Services Committee.
10:04 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, widely known by the nickname La Luchadora (the fighter), announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection in 2026, bringing to a close a congressional career that has spanned more than three decades.
Velázquez, 72, was first elected in 1992 and has represented parts of Brooklyn and Queens since taking office in 1993. She is the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in the U.S. Congress and has long been a prominent voice for immigrants, small businesses and working families.
"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," Velázquez said in a statement.
Her retirement follows a recent string of high-profile departures by longtime New York Democrats; Rep. Jerry Nadler announced earlier he will leave at the end of his current term. Velázquez’s decision, arriving weeks after 34-year-old Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected New York City’s mayor, clears the way for a competitive Democratic primary in her reliably blue district.
During her time in Congress, Velázquez served as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has been a senior member of influential committees. She is currently the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee and serves on the House Financial Services Committee, where she focused on policies affecting small businesses, housing and consumer protections.
Velázquez publicly backed Zohran Mamdani in the city’s ranked-choice mayoral primary, joining other progressives in an effort to block a political comeback by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The mayor-elect praised her on social media, calling her "a champion and tireless advocate for immigrants, small businesses and working families" and thanking her for her leadership.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who served with Velázquez in Congress, also lauded her record, saying Velázquez "has never forgotten where she came from, and she has never stopped fighting for the people she serves." With Velázquez stepping down, attention will turn to who can build a coalition to succeed her in a district that remains solidly Democratic but likely to draw multiple contenders.