CONCORD, N.H. — Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire said Wednesday she will not seek re-election to Congress for a seventh term in November, leaving the state’s vast 2nd District open to a possible Republican Party successor.
“I have always said that I would not stay in Congress forever,” Kuster, 67, said in a statement. She did not explain her decision.
Kuster is the longest-serving member in the history of the largely rural district, which stretches from New Hampshire’s border with Canada to the Massachusetts line. It includes the cities of Nashua and Concord. The Democratic-leaning district hasn’t been in Republican hands since 2013, when the seat was held by Charlie Bass.
“I will continue to serve the people of New Hampshire until the end of my term in January 2025,” Kuster said. “In the coming months, I will use my time to help Congress build on the progress we have made and get the job done. I will continue to lead the New Democrat Coalition to pass comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to move our country forward. ”
Kuster, a lawyer from Hopkinton, lost to Bass in her first run in 2010. Bass had held that seat for 12 years before being ousted nationally along with other Republicans in 2006.
Kuster, whose mother held a Republican seat in the state Legislature for 25 years, emphasized her ability to work with both parties. She defeated Bass in 2012 and was re-elected five times. She defeated pro-Trump Republican Robert Burns, who runs a pharmaceutical quality control company, in 2022.
“It was certainly a safe place for her,” said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, adding that Kuster was excellent at raising campaign funds.
Scala said Kuster has built a reputation in Congress as a moderate liberal Democrat and centrist. Assuming there is a competitive Democratic primary for the seat, it will be interesting to see if the nominee will be more left-leaning than Kuster.
Five Republicans have said they are running for the party’s seat.
“I still think it will be a significant boost for a Republican to win that district,” Scala said.
During the last election, Kuster defended her support for the Inflation Reduction Act, which requires Medicare to negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies. The legislation included Kuster’s bill to eliminate out-of-pocket vaccination costs for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries.
She also sponsored legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to members of the top-secret World War II Ghost Army 75 years after their service.
Kuster was the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. She was the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence.
“As I look to the future, I am excited about the work and opportunities that await us. We all have a role to play in standing up for what we believe in, advocating for a better future and pursuing the change we want to see,” she said.
Kuster has spoken about her post-traumatic stress from being trapped in the gallery of the House when rioters tried to break down the doors on January 6, 2021. The insurrection interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. Kuster calls himself a “survivor, witness and victim of the January 6 insurrection at our Capitol.”
Her colleague in Congress, U.S. First District Representative Chris Pappas, called her “a trailblazer and respected leader who always puts the needs of Granite Staters first.”
“I know her work fighting for important priorities is far from over, whether it is continuing bipartisan cooperation to address addiction and mental health, standing up for reproductive freedom, or protecting our democracy.” , the Democrat said.
