Indiana Rep. Hollingsworth becomes latest House Republican to say won't seek reelection

Indiana Rep. Trey Hollingsworth says he will not seek reelection, becoming the latest GOP House member this election cycle deciding to not run for another term – The Washington Post puts the official count at 12. He is also one of the few congressional lawmakers who has stuck to a four term-limit pledge that he made, retiring after three terms.

"You deserve a Member of Congress totally and completely focused on the 9th District, and, though I have remained committed to that promise these three terms, now I will fight for you and us in different ways," the 38-year-old Hollingsworth said. "I took a pledge to limit my own terms to four because of this very idea: to remind me to focus on the people and that serving the public wasn’t intended to be a career by our founders."

Hollingsworth was first elected in 2016 to represent Indiana's 9th Congressional District and has served on the House Financial Services Committee since that time.

During the early days of the pandemic, he fought hard for Americans to return to work, and for schools and churches to reopen. Prior to joining the House, Hollingsworth co-founded a company that rebuilds manufacturing sites, which made him one of the wealthiest members of the House during his first term. 

In his statement, Hollingsworth lamented the nature of career politicians in Washington.

"Much of my time in Congress has been invested in battling Washington itself," he said. "We need to compel our representatives to work to better their constituents rather than better themselves or their careers.

"We need more people from outside of politics, to change how things work. ... As an outsider, I was successful because it was clear to me that those who have an incentive to maintain the status quo can’t be relied upon to change the status quo."

Last year, Hollingsworth became one of 35 members of his conference to vote to establish a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the events of Jan 6, 2021, an idea blocked from coming to fruition with Republicans in the Senate.