Democratic Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson announced her retirement from Congress on Friday following several weeks of absence from Capitol Hill.
Wilson previously committed to running for reelection despite missing several consecutive votes while she recovered from eye surgery. After consistently missing House votes and committee hearings, Wilson told the Miami Herald it was time for her to retire.
“I think it’s time, and I think I really held on as long as I did because of the 5000 Role Models program, and my concern about the future of it,” Wilson told the outlet.
Wilson previously maintained that she would run for reelection, though she confirmed to local allies on Saturday that she would step aside, according to Axios. However, she told Axios in a later statement that day that her retirement is a “crazy rumor.”
The Florida Democrat told the Miami Herald that she had made her decision a while ago, but she kept quiet to be “politically strategic” about it.
“I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do? What would they say? Would District 24 be an easy target because Frederica is no longer there? I’m a strong candidate,” Wilson continued. “With me not here, would that weaken the survival of District 24?”
Wilson missed every House between April 20 and May 20, but reappeared in Washington last week, according to GovTrack. During her absence, Wilson missed a major vote on extending Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance authorities.
NEW: Florida Democrat Frederick Wilson, 83, will retire after her term ends.
Per https://t.co/hdFkcBuPgc (shown below), she missed every House vote between April and May — but reappeared in D.C. last week.
Should Frederica Wilson continue her congressional career or retire now?In a statement, Hakeem Jeffries said the House Democratic Caucus would… pic.twitter.com/fxkz7mGw7G
— Zach Schermele (@ZachSchermele) May 29, 2026
Despite being a member, she also has not appeared on any footage from hearings held by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure or the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wilson would be missed when she steps down at the end of her term.
“The House Democratic Caucus will deeply miss Rep. Wilson and her iconic hats—more than just her signature style, they represent her many roles throughout a lifetime of service. We are forever indebted to her for her tenacity, and we wish her and her family the very best in this next chapter,” Jeffries wrote in a statement.
Jeffries previously defended Wilson’s absence, telling reporters on May 14 that Wilson was “recovering from a procedure” and would “be back shortly.”
Wilson’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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