Leading Democratic congressman Jerry Nadler unexpectedly announced that he will not seek re-election next year, ending his 34-year run as a representative from New York.
Widely recognized for his rotund figure and slouching gait, Nadler has been a fixture in Democratic politics ever since he won his first House race in 1992.
The 78-year-old says the Democratic party needs "generational change," pointing to the dismal end of President Biden's career as a cautionary tale.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party,” Nadler told the New York Times, “and I think I want to respect that.”
A staunch liberal, Nadler became widely known as a leading critic of Trump during the president's first term, when Nadler led two failed impeachments as chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
Trump and Nadler have clashed since the 1980s, when Trump became famous as a Manhattan real estate developer. The president once called Nadler "one of the most egregious hacks in contemporary politics."
His retirement comes after three House Democrats died while in office this year, fueling demands for fresh blood as Trump bulldozes through opposition in both parties.
Nadler, although advanced in age, is as vocal as ever, telling the Times that he is stepping aside to help Democrats resist Trump "and his incipient fascism."
“I’m not saying we should change over the entire party,” he told the outlet. “But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump," he added.
His departure will open up a contentious Democratic primary in his overwhelmingly liberal district, which spans some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in America, covering Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East and West sides.
"It’s a big deal. Nadler is a legend. He’s an institution in both Manhattan and Washington,” a Democratic Party insider told The New York Post.
“His retirement represents a generational opening. I could see at least a half dozen people running for that seat in a Democratic primary,” the insider added.
Nadler has not named a successor, but the Times reports that he is likely to endorse his former aide Micah Lasher, who represents parts of the Upper West Side in the New York State Assembly.
Staying true to his leftist record, Nadler has endorsed socialist Zohran Mamdani to be the next mayor of New York City.
