KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.
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Longtime U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R - 6th District, Missouri) announced Friday he is withdrawing his re-election bid and will retire from politics.
In a telephone interview with KSHB 41 News political reporter Charlie Keegan, Graves said he wants to leave the job at the peak of his political career.
“There's not very many members of Congress get to leave on their terms and their timeline, and so, I kind of took the opportunity to do that,” Graves said.
“After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress,” Graves said in a social media post Friday. “This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one. I believe in making room for the next generation. It’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians.”
Graves has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 26 years after starting his political career as a state representative from Tarkio, Missouri, in 1992.
He most recently became chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Graves said even if he won reelection, he would need a waiver from Congress to remain chair of the committee because of term limits on chairmanships. He said that was unlikely to happen.
Graves had initially filed for reelection with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office last month.
He admitted to Keegan he was skeptical of running for reelection even when he filed in February. He said a conversation with his father last week cemented his decision.
“My dad is 92 years old and he works every day of his life still on the farm,” Graves explained. “The reason he's 92 is because he works every day of his life, and I want to be that person and I intend to continue to work until I fall over.”
Graves called the past 26 years in Congress “humbling” and thanked Missourians who worked with him throughout his service.
The representative did not immediately endorse anyone to follow him.
“I care a lot about the state of Missouri. This is where I live. This is where I will continue to live," Graves said. "I've given everything I can to the 6th district and I hope the next person does exactly the same thing."
News of Graves' retirement was met with reflection from elected officials on both sides of the aisle.
Claudia and I are proud to call @RepSamGraves a friend, and wish him well in his retirement.
— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) March 27, 2026
For 26 years in Congress, and throughout his time in public service, he has served with humility, working hard to deliver real results for Missouri families.
A small businessman and… pic.twitter.com/vnzANpCyyx
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas also issued a statement on Graves' news.
"From KCI Airport to the Kansas City Streetcar, the involvement of Representative Sam Graves has helped deliver some of our community's most important projects over the past generation," Lucas said. "I wish him well as he closes his time in the United States Congress."
Here is Graves’ full message:
When I first ran for State Representative back in 1992, my aspiration was to represent my hometown of Tarkio, Missouri. I was a twenty-seven year old farmer who just wanted to stand up for a way of life and his community. I never could have imagined where that decision would take me.
For 8 years in the Missouri House and Senate, I fought for Northwest Missourians. From deregulating vehicle inspections, to standing for chain gangs, to securing funding for rural schools in the desegregation fight, I never lost sight of why I was sent to Jefferson City. Then, in 2000, the good, hardworking people of Missouri’s Sixth District entrusted me to be their voice in Congress.
For 26 years, I have had the privilege of serving, culminating in becoming the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and passing some of the most significant legislation in our nation’s history. The responsibility entrusted to me is not something I have ever taken for granted. Not for a single day.
What I’m most proud of is the work my team did when Washington made life harder for the people of Missouri’s Sixth. Together, we stood with hundreds of thousands of Missourians in their toughest moments. We helped them cut through red tape and navigate a system that often felt stacked against them. We got them answers and fought to deliver real results when they needed them most.
I’ve said all of that to say this: After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress. This wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one. I believe in making room for the next generation. It’s time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians.
That doesn’t mean I’m slowing down, not even close. As I enter the 4th quarter of my life, I have more left in me. As many of you know, I don't let grass grow under my feet. We’ve still got a lot of work to do. I’m going to fight to protect Missouri interests as we work to shape this year’s Highway Bill. I plan to finish this last term the same way I started, full speed ahead.
Maintaining our strong democratic republic will always depend on good people stepping up to serve from every corner of our great nation. I’m grateful for my colleagues in both parties, for the people I’ve worked alongside, and even for the opponents who challengedme and made me better. Public service isn’t easy. It takes hard work, humility, a thick skin, and a willingness to fight for what’s right.
At the end of the day, I’m still the farmer from Northwest Missouri. You’ll find me back home on the farm nearly every weekend, after all, it is planting season. In fact, I’ll probably be on a tractor this weekend. And come Monday, I’ll be heading back through Kansas City on my way to D.C. to keep doing the job you sent me there to do.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
It has been the honor of a lifetime.
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