Is Newhouse considering running for a new office? Here’s what he told us
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rep. Dan Newhouse says he may run for public office again after leaving in 2027.
- He cites agriculture, labor and trade as priorities for the rest of his term.
- His retirement creates a competitive 2026 primary for Central Washington’s seat.
Congressman Dan Newhouse says he’s not ruling out another run for public office after he steps down at the end of next year.
“Well, you never say never,” he told a gaggle of reporters on Wednesday afternoon via Zoom. “Public service, I guess, is in my DNA, certainly following the career of my father and admiring everything he was able to accomplish. If I’d said ‘absolutely not,’ I would be lying. But there’s a lot of other things I’d like to do in my life as well.”
Whether it’s public office, or something else, the Sunnyside Republican says he’ll “continue to stay engaged and contribute as much as I possibly can.”
“I just can’t tell you what that looks like today,” Newhouse said.
Passing the torch
Earlier Wednesday, Newhouse announced his plans to retire from the House of Representatives after having served Central Washington for six terms. The 70-year-old hops farmer says he’s finally ready to “pass the torch” to a new generation of lawmakers, and spend more time with his son on their Yakima Valley farm.
His decision to step away sets the stage for a contentious 2026 midterm primary in Central Washington, and guarantees that a flurry of Republicans and Democrats will come out of the woodwork to vie for the open seat.
Though just a few have announced plans to run so far, Newhouse expects a “large field of candidates” in next year’s race. He says he hasn’t made any decisions about who he may or may not support in the race.
“Let’s see who expresses interest, who gets in the race, and we’ll just play it from there. But, like I said, I’m focused on finishing my term strong,” he said. That term in the 119th Congress expires Jan. 3, 2027.
“Whoever is elected to replace me, I will be their constituent. So, obviously I have a strong interest in making sure we have a very qualified individual. But I’ve made no decisions — I don’t even know who’s running at this point. I’m just focused on making sure I get my job complete,” Newhouse continued.
That job includes focusing on the “bread and butter” issue of Central Washington: Agriculture, but he also hopes to continue elevating issues around agriculture labor, international trade and regulatory issues. Just two dozen farmers serve in Congress, and he hopes his successor will be a champion for those issues driving Central Washington’s major industries.
“Our voices have to be loud and clear and constant,” he said.
Serving Central Washington
At the end of his term, Newhouse will have served 12 years in Congress. He says, despite heightened political divisions, that it’s “always been very difficult to get anything done in Washington, D.C.” And, despite Republicans’ slim majority in the House, Newhouse says they’ve been able to accomplish a lot of “good, important things.”
But Newhouse says he’s not retiring because he wasn’t able to get movement on his legislation in Congress.
“The old adage of ‘You can get a lot done if you don’t care who gets the credit” still holds very true, and I’ve seen that play out time and time again. If you work together with people — and, I mean, people on both sides of the aisle — you can get a lot accomplished. It’s been a tremendous honor to be a part of this,” he said.
Newhouse and California Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, are the last two House Republicans left in office who voted to impeach President Trump back in 2021 over the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. He says most people “respect others who stand for something, and who vote their conscience and can justify the positions they take.”
When asked about his legacy, Newhouse joked that he’d “let the pundits write that.” But he wants to be remembered as someone who listened to his community, and who represented the interests of Central Washington well.
