Updated 10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Rep. Frederica Wilson denies "crazy rumor" that she's retiring

A woman wearing a black-and-white wide-brim hat and brown sunglasses speaks at a press conference, surrounded by multiple microphones, with a blue backdrop reading Archdiocese of Miami. — Rep. Frederica Wilson speaks at a press conference in Miami on Jan. 27, 2026. Photo: Carl Juste/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) has told allies this weekend that she plans to retire, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter. She flatly denies it:

"It's a crazy rumor. A crazy crazy rumor. I'm almost distraught. It's not true. I am still planning on running," she told Axios.

Why it matters: Wilson, 83, would be the latest in a string of House Democrats in their 70s and 80s yielding to pressure from some corners of the party to pass the torch to the next generation.

Wilson had told elected officials in her district earlier this month that she planned to run again despite a nearly month-long absence from Capitol Hill due to major eye surgery.
Wilson returned to the Capitol last week and voted on Thursday.

Driving the news: Wilson made calls on Saturday telling people in her district that she did not plan to run again, according to multiple sources.

One of the sources told Axios: "She's not running anymore — she's going to retire."
After Wilson issued her denial, the source insisted that Wilson "called and made it known" she is retiring, saying she has told multiple legislators in her district.

What to watch: If Wilson were to retire, State Sen. Shevrin Jones and Miami Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert are seen as two possible candidates for her seat, according to NOTUS.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect Wilson's denial that she is retiring.

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Rep. Frederica Wilson denies "crazy rumor" that she's retiring

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