WASHINGTON — Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) announced Thursday he will seek reelection, ending speculation that he may retire after more than 30 years in Congress.
“In a few minutes, I am going to sign the paperwork that’s necessary in order to qualify for the Democratic nomination to run again,” he said to applause during a press event he organized at the South Carolina Democratic Party headquarters in Columbia.
Clyburn, 85, was first elected to the 6th Congressional District in 1993. He spent years in House Democratic leadership, serving as Majority Whip alongside former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). A leader on civil rights issues, he’s long been a power broker in his state and for the Democratic Party, having been key to former President Joe Biden winning in South Carolina in 2020.
Still, his decision to stay in office may rankle some, given his advanced age and a debate within his party over the need for generational change in Congress. Clyburn will be 86 by the midterms, about the same age as Pelosi and Hoyer, both of whom recently announced their retirements after similarly long stints in the House.
He addressed these concerns during his Thursday announcement, and said he feels he has more work to do in the House.
