Clyburn Seeks 18th Term, Steady Leadership Ahead

0:00On March 12th, Rep. Jim Clyburn, the top Democrat from South Carolina, announced this week that he will seek an 18th term in the House at age, 85. This decision keeps him in Washington as one of the party senior voices, especially of Democrats take back the majority after the November elections. He's the only holdover from the previous Democratic leadership team still planning to run. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former majority leader Stenny Hoyer from California and Maryland are both retiring at the end of their terms. Clyburn previously served as majority whip and was the highest-ranking black lawmaker in the House for many years. Staying on could let him work with New York Rep. Kim Jeffries, who would become the first Black Speaker if Democrats win control. He cruised to victory in his 2024 re-election by more than 20 percentage points in a district stretching from Colombia through rural. Areas to Charleston, first elected in 1992, another win would make him the longest-serving South Carolinian in house history.

1:02Filing for South Carolina races opens Monday and runs until March 30th, with primary set for June 9th. Clyburn's move signals steady leadership as the political landscape shifts ahead.