Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler will not seek reelection

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., will not seek re-election next year, according to media reports. 

The move will mark the end of Nadler's 34 years in Congress where he has been a leading liberal voice on a range of issues. 

"Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that," Nadler told the New York Times. 

REP. NADLER CONDEMNS TRUMP ADMIN AFTER STAFF MEMBER HANDCUFFED DURING CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE SECURITY SWEEP

That was evident when Nadler, 78, was forced to give up his House Judiciary Committee leadership at the beginning of the term when it became clear a younger, more energetic colleague would beat him. 

Nadler has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, warning fellow Democrats about Trump's leadership style. The two have sparred dating back to the 1980s over Manhattan development projects. 

"I’m not saying we should change over the entire party," he said. "But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism."

DEM REP. NADLER PICTURED WITH HEAD DOWN, EYES CLOSED DURING TESTIMONY FROM OTHERS OF MIGRANT CRIME VICTIMS

He ultimately succeeded in steering articles of impeachment through his committee in 2019. 

Nadler didn't discuss who could potentially succeed him, saying multiple candidates could run to replace him. 

But a person familiar with his thinking told the Times that Nadler planned to support Micah Lasher, who represents parts of the Upper West Side in the New York State Assembly, should he run.

In speaking with the Times, Nadler said he was confident of the Democrats' chances of taking back control of the House next year. 

"Then you can cut the reign of terror in half," he said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Nadler's office. 

In a post on X, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani praised Nadler as a champion of progressivism. 

"For more than 30 years, when New Yorkers needed a champion, we have turned to Jerry Nadler - and he has delivered for us time and again," the post states. "Few leaders can claim to have made such an impact on the fabric of our city."

"Congress will be worse off without his leadership, but our democracy will be better for the selflessness that has defined a legendary career," he added. 

In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Nadler a "relentless fighter for justice, civil rights and liberties and the fundamental promise of equality for all."

"After the attacks of September 11, 2001, he spent years fighting for the care and support that New York City and his constituents needed to begin to rebuild and heal," said Jeffries. "As Dean of the New York delegation, Congressman Nadler has been a dear friend and valued mentor to myself and so many others throughout the People's House."

"Jerry’s years of leadership have earned him a spot among our nation’s greatest public servants," he added. "He will be deeply missed by the House Democratic Caucus next term and we wish him and his family the very best in this new chapter."

Nadler claims of Trump-campaign Russia collusion contradicted by Durham report

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., once said it was "very clear" the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians in the 2016 election — a claim later contradicted by the release of Special Counsel John Durham's report on the Russia investigation.

"It’s become very clear that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians in trying to subvert the election," Nadler told CNN in November 2018. "The president is right to be nervous right now, because it appears that time is running out when he can hold himself above the law."

DURHAM REPORT CONTRADICTS 'GUARANTEE' FROM MAXINE WATERS THAT TRUMP COLLUDED WITH RUSSIA

The comments now conflict with the Durham report, which concluded in May that federal agencies had no "actual evidence of collusion" to justify its launch of the Trump-Russia investigation. This added to the conclusion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report in 2019 that determined there was no evidence of a criminal plot to influence the 2016 election. 

Nadler, in the 2018 interview, said evidence would soon surface to prove Trump's personal involvement in collusion with Russia.

"The walls are tightening about his knowledge of the collusion with the Russians," Nadler said. 

ADAM SCHIFF, WHO REPEATEDLY CLAIMED EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION, DENOUNCES DURHAM REPORT AS 'FLAWED'

This evidence never arose, but Nadler later said in a January 2020 interview with CBS that Trump attempted to rig the 2020 election just "as he worked with the Russians to try to rig the 2016 election." The comments came amid the impeachment push over Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to investigate then-candidate Joe Biden.

"The reason he did that was in order to extort a foreign government to smear his political opponents for his personal benefits and to help try to rig the 2020 election as he worked with the Russians to try to rig the 2016 election," Nadler said. "Same pattern."

DURHAM FINDS DOJ, FBI 'FAILED TO UPHOLD' MISSION OF 'STRICT FIDELITY TO THE LAW' IN TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Durham report concluded the Trump-Russia investigation was based upon "raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence." The launch of the investigation despite the lack of evidence, the report said, showed the Department of Justice and FBI "failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law." The report also concluded the agencies relied heavily upon leads for information "provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump's political opponents."

Nadler feuded with Schiff, Pelosi over ‘unconstitutional’ impeachment of Donald Trump

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler feuded with Adam Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over Trump's 'unconstitutional' impeachment process, a new book claims.

Flashback: Nadler’s Clinton impeachment comments from 1998 surface as he leads Trump efforts

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., is pushing for President Trump to be impeached just days before his term ends, despite warning years ago about "divisiveness and bitterness" during the 1998 Clinton impeachment hearings.

New book details how Schiff outmaneuvered Nadler to become impeachment star

A new book released Tuesday details the saga that led to the impeachment trial of President Trump -- including how House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff outmaneuvered House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler to become the driving congressional force behind Trump's impeachment. 

Dems demand Barr’s resignation amid Stone sentence storm

Barely a week after President Trump was acquitted in his impeachment trial, a new administration controversy has Democrats demanding investigations and even the resignation of his top law enforcement official.

Nadler threatens Bolton subpoena after impeachment ends

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., warned Wednesday that investigations into President Trump's dealings with Ukraine may not end after the Senate's afternoon vote in the impeachment trial, and that he may issue a subpoena for former national security adviser John Bolton.

Nadler misses part of Senate impeachment trial because of wife’s pancreatic cancer

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., will skip out on part of the Senate impeachment trial against President Trump Monday in order to remain by his wife’s side as she battles pancreatic cancer.

Democrats, in impeachment trial arguments, charge that Trump’s conduct was worse than Nixon’s

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler Thursday accused President Trump of putting his own personal interests above national security and American democracy and charged that Trump is the only president in history to violate his oath of office so flagrantly.