Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) confirmed Friday that she will retire from Congress, ending months of conflicting statements about her political future. The 83-year-old announced her decision at an honorary event in her South Florida district, telling the Miami Herald, "I think it's time."
The retirement comes after Wilson missed weeks of House votes while recovering from a major eye surgery, according to Axios. She had initially denied reports that she planned to step down, telling Axios as recently as last Saturday that speculation was "a crazy rumor."
Wilson acknowledged she delayed her public announcement for strategic reasons tied to Florida's mid-decade redistricting process. "I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do?" she told the Miami Herald, raising concerns that her district would become "an easy target."
Her departure makes her the 30th House Democrat from the 119th Congress who will not join the 120th, according to The Hill. The shift further narrows an already precarious Democratic majority, adding pressure on party leadership to defend vacant seats in the upcoming cycle.
Local officials in Miami are now honoring Wilson's 16 years of service, as the party looks to back a successor who can hold the reliably Democratic district without the advantage of incumbency.