Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-New York) has announced she won’t seek reelection in 2026 to her deep-blue congressional seat, ending a more than three-decade career in Congress for the trailblazing progressive lawmaker who was the first Puerto Rican woman ever elected to Congress.

Velazquez, affectionately dubbed “La Luchadora,” or The Fighter, says she will step aside next year after 16 terms representing her predominantly Latino NY-07 district that encompasses parts of northern Brooklyn and western Queens.

“The time is right for me to move on and for a new generation of leaders to step forward,” Velazquez, 72, said in a statement posted on social media.

Potential candidates could include Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and State Sen. Julia Salazar , although many other pro

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