CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — U.S. Rep. James Clyburn announced Thursday that he plans to run for reelection in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, a seat he has held for more than three decades.
The 17-term Democrat said he intends to run a “vigorous” campaign, pointing to his recent travel schedule and time spent playing golf. He also described a conversation with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who he said urged him to remain in Congress.
“We exist in pursuit of a more perfect union,” Clyburn said during a morning news conference. “I am here today because I believe I am well-equipped and healthy enough to move into the next term, trying to do the things that are necessary to continue that pursuit of perfection.”
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Clyburn said his decision to seek another term was driven by a desire to help build a stronger union. He said he hopes to inspire “goodness” in Americans and pledged that if Democrats regain the majority in the House, they would work to rein in what he described as overreach by the Trump administration.
“The first thing I would say to this president is: Come to Congress, lay your proposals before the House of Representatives, and let us have a legitimate debate on behalf of the American people,” Clyburn said. “That is the first thing the president needs to do – bring his proposals to the American people, and we can have a debate.”
Clyburn also acknowledged calls for younger leadership in Congress. He noted that in 2022, he stepped down from his House leadership roles, but said many constituents still want him to remain in office. He pointed to the results of an internal poll conducted by his office.
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South Carolina’s only Democratic member of Congress recounted a conversation with an elderly voter who urged him not to listen to political commentators in Washington but instead to focus on the wishes of voters in the 6th District.
“I am responding to the people down here who don’t want me to leave,” Clyburn said.
Clyburn, 85, was first elected in 1992. His service in Congress began Jan. 3, 1993. Through the decades, he rose to the No. 3 House Democrat and the highest-ranking Black member of Congress. He served alongside former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Steny Hoyer, who worked as Pelosi’s No. 2. However, unlike them, he chose to run for another term.
For his longevity in Congress, Clyburn’s calling card has been his ability to influence presidential politics, hosting his annual fish fry, which has become a who’s who for those looking to run for the Democratic nomination. The congress member has also never been bashful about aiding former President Joe Biden in winning the nomination and the eventual presidential victory in 2020. But on Thursday, Clyburn said the power politics of 2028 are a distant thought, and his only focus is on winning in 2026.
“This could very well be my last term,” he said. “This could very well not be.”
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