The countdown is on to the midterm elections, and the clock is ticking on Capitol Hill. Farm Journal counts 22 voices for agriculture in Congress that will soon face their last day in office.
Of the 22 members defined by Farm Journal as an “Ag Voice” leaving Congress, 15 are members of the House of Representatives and seven are departing from the Senate. Eight members are leaving the House Agriculture Committee this year and seven are leaving Congress entirely. Five Senate Agriculture members are retiring.
In Farm Journal’s AgVote 2026 series, an “Ag voice” is defined as a member of Congress who is a farmer, was raised on a farm, or whose grandparents or parents farmed. It can also include someone who serves on an agriculture committee, built a career in agriculture business, or owns farm or ranch land.
Ag Committee Members Departing
- Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA)
- Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI)
- Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN)
- Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
- Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD)
- Rep. John Rose (R-TN)
- Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA)
- Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL)
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)
- Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
- Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN)
Kentucky’s Senate Seat
David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report says Kentucky’s open Senate seat is all but decided. “This is a done deal at this point. Andy Barr is going to be the next senator from Kentucky,” Wasserman says.
A current member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Barr is running against Democrat Charles Booker, a former state representative. The winner will replace Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in U.S. history, who was hospitalized in June and absent from Capitol Hill for three months. His return brought a key vote, helping pass the Senate’s version of the Farm Bill out of committee in September.
Barr is an attorney and currently represents Kentucky’s sixth district. He is a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee. He is also on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Andy Barr, his background has been more tied to the financial services committee. He may or may not take up the ag mantle as senator, but it remains to be seen,” Wasserman says.
Nebraska’s 2nd District
Rep. Don Bacon, who grew up on a farm in Illinois, is one of eight members leaving the House Agriculture Committee this year. Wasserman believes Democratic nominee Denise Powell, a small business owner and former executive, is the clear favorite to replace him.
“This is probably Democrats’ best pickup opportunity in the country that is not in a seat that was redistricted or gerrymandered for 2026,” Wasserman says.
Powell is running against Republican Brinker Harding and Libertarian Eric Michael Foreman. Harding has served on the Omaha City Council since 2017. Foreman works in property management and maintenance.
Tennessee’s Open Seat
Rep. John Rose is a farmer, attorney, business owner and former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner. He also sits on the House Ag Committee and is departing.
“John Rose spent a lot of money trying to win the governor’s race in Tennessee, came up short against Marsha Blackburn,” Wasserman says. “Johnny Garrett, who’s a state rep and a lawyer, is the odds-on favorite to win this seat. This is a district where Democrats are simply not going to be competitive.”
Mike Croley is the Democratic nominee for Tennessee’s 6th District. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2009 and previously worked in the U.S. Departments of State and Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Washington’s 4th District
Rep. Dan Newhouse, a third-generation hops, tree fruit and grape grower and former state director of agriculture, is another member leaving the House Ag Committee.
“This time around, Newhouse did not make an endorsement in the race to succeed him, and Amanda McKinney — who is not really a MAGA Republican but still identifies as a more staunch supporter of Trump — is the clear favorite to succeed him,” Wasserman says.
McKinney grew up working in orchards and on her family’s farm. She serves as a Yakima County Commissioner representing District 1. McKinney is running against Democrat John Duresky, a veteran with 37 years in the Air Force and civil service.
Missouri’s 6th District
Rep. Sam Graves, a sixth-generation farmer who has chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is also exiting. Wasserman believes the seat is likely to stay Republican, with radio host Chris Stigall favored to replace him.
Stigall faces Democrat Josh Smead and Libertarian Andy Maidment. Smead is a licensed architect and Maidment is a veteran and cyber security professional.
A Power Shift on House Ag
Perhaps the most consequential departure: House Ag Committee Ranking Member Rep. Angie Craig, the most powerful Democrat on the committee, is leaving Congress after an unsuccessful Senate run.
Wasserman says Democrats are expected to hold her House seat with nominee Matt Little, a state senator. Republican candidate Eric Pratt is also a state senator. With Democrats favored to retake the House majority, Craig’s absence could reshape the direction of ag policy.
"(Rep.) Shontel Brownfrom Cleveland, Ohio, is the heavy favorite to become the next chair of the Ag Committee,” Wasserman says. “This is a sea change because we can’t recall the last time there’s been an Ag Committee chair that didn’t really have production agriculture in their district.”
Brown, he noted, represents one of the most urban seats in the country and draws on her own background receiving food stamps as a child to advocate for SNAP.
Is the Ag Voice Shrinking?
“I think (the ag voice) is about to shrink on the Republican side and about to grow on the Democratic side,” Wasserman says. “We are seeing Democrats make real inroads into districts that have large ag components.”
He added that Democrats’ shrinking geographic footprint over the last 10 to 20 years has left them “nowhere to go but to expand into some of these rural seats.”
