Jim Clyburn, 85, Announces Bid for 18th Term in Congress

Jim Clyburn has announced he will seek an 18th term in Congress, making clear that the 85-year-old South Carolina Democrat has no intention of stepping aside despite a wave of high-profile retirements reshaping his party's congressional ranks.

Clyburn, who has represented South Carolina's 6th congressional district since January 1993, signaled his intentions through a campaign fundraising email that placed him squarely on the 2026 ballot. "The first deadline of 2026, and the first of the election year, when I will be on the ballot along with Democrats across the country facing tough, must-win races is coming up," the email read. He continued: "It's my privilege to represent the people of South Carolina's 6th District. I've dedicated my life and my time in Congress to making our state and our country more equitable for all Americans, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished with my Democratic colleagues in Congress."

Four people close to Clyburn, speaking anonymously, said they anticipated he would run again, pointing to his continued engagement in national politics and his strategic thinking about what a Democratic House majority in 2026 could mean for his influence.

The decision puts Clyburn in a distinct camp from several of his most prominent contemporaries. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also 85, and Rep. Steny Hoyer, 86, have both announced they will not seek reelection. Clyburn acknowledged the retirements publicly, telling The Post and Courier in December: "It gets you thinking."

Thinking, apparently, did not mean stopping. Colleagues described Clyburn as sharp and actively engaged, and his continued prominence in national Democratic politics has fueled expectations in South Carolina that he would run. He remains the most powerful Democrat in the state, and potential 2028 presidential contenders are already courting his endorsement, hoping to replicate the seismic impact his backing of Joe Biden had in the 2020 South Carolina primary. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently had Clyburn on his podcast, where they discussed civil rights history, voter identification laws and the late Rev. Jesse Jackson. Newsom then stopped in South Carolina for two meet-and-greet events as part of his book tour.

Clyburn's longevity in the district reflects an electoral record of commanding margins. In the 2014 general election, he captured 72.5 percent of the vote; in 2012, he won with 85.9 percent. His continued reelections speak to deep roots in a district he has shaped and represented for more than three decades.

The broader context is one of Democratic tension over generational change, a debate that intensified after Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Several octogenarian House Democrats, including Reps. Maxine Waters, Emanuel Cleaver and Doris Matsui, are also running for reelection, resisting pressure to make way for younger candidates.

For Clyburn, the calculation appears to hinge on two factors: the possibility of Democrats reclaiming the House in 2026, which would restore him to a senior leadership role, and South Carolina's early positioning in the 2028 presidential primary calendar, where his endorsement carries outsized weight. In a party searching for its footing, few voices carry more historical authority or strategic value than his.