These Lawmakers Are Retiring. But Their Campaigns Are Still Spending.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s campaign spent more than $2,800 on flowers.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s campaign spent $11,900 to print holiday cards.

And Rep. Chip Roy’s congressional campaign transferred $2 million to his Texas attorney general campaign.

Dozens of members of Congress may have announced their decision to not seek reelection, retire or run for another office. But many of their campaigns continued to spend big money in the last three months of 2025, according to new reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The campaign committee for Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, who represents one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country and who announced on Nov. 5 that he would not seek reelection, spent nearly $1.4 million in that time period, according to a report filed Saturday evening with the FEC.

Nearly $1.2 million of that was spent after Golden made his announcement. That spending included more than $700,000 in contribution refunds, $50,000 in political contributions, nearly $31,000 on fundraising consulting, and $316,000 on payroll and taxes.

Republican Rep. Jodey Arrington’s campaign shelled out more than $785,000 during the fourth quarter. Around $550,000 of that was spent after Arrington announced on Nov. 11 that he would retire at the end of his term despite the Texan having President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

After he announced his plans to retire, Arrington’s campaign spent more than $295,800 on refunds to donors. His campaign also gave $158,000 to other federal candidates and committees. It spent more than $4,400 on campaign apparel, $5,100 on fundraising expenses and $22,000 on fundraising consulting.

Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, holds a copy of the Ray Dalio book, “How Countries Go Broke,” outside the Capitol Hill Club after a meeting of the House Republican Conference on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP

It’s not uncommon for invoices to be delayed, meaning some of the services Arrington’s campaign and others paid for may have taken place while they were still running for office.

The FEC prohibits retiring federal lawmakers to use surplus campaign cash for purely personal purposes, such as taking a vacation or buying a family car, although some — such as former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema — appear to have spent their leftover funds on travel, fine dining, concert tickets and other questionable purchases.

Exiting lawmakers may use leftover campaign money in a variety of other ways, including on charitable contributions and for so-called “winding down costs.” Campaigns may also financially support party committees and their colleagues who are seeking to remain in office.

Of the nearly $600,000 Pelosi’s campaign spent in total during the fourth quarter, nearly half went out the door after she announced her plan to retire on Nov. 6.

In addition to refunding more than $73,000 to donors, Pelosi’s campaign disclosed paying nearly $24,000 for fundraising consulting, more than $25,000 to the law firm Perkins Coie for legal and compliance services, $77,410 for catering and $2,800 for flowers, among other expenses. Her campaign committee also gave Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman’s campaign and $35,000 to nonfederal political committees during the fourth quarter.

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi is using her principal campaign committee to fund Democratic efforts to take back the House in November and elect Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker,” Ian Krager, a spokesperson for Pelosi, said in a statement to NOTUS.

Several lawmakers announced their retirement more than halfway through the fourth quarter, including Sen. Cynthia Lummis and Reps. Troy Nehls, Nydia Velázquez, Lloyd Doggett, Marc Veasey, Dan Newhouse and Harriet Hageman.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced in November that she would resign after publicly clashing with Trump, who before then was her longtime-time ally. She officially left Congress on Jan. 5.

So far in 2026, Reps. Vern Buchanan, Neal Dunn, Julia Brownley and Steny Hoyer have announced their retirements, while Rep. Julia Letlow announced she’s challenging Sen. Bill Cassidy in a Republican primary.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst’s campaign reported spending nearly $1.2 million during the fourth quarter, including nearly $958,000 in contribution refunds. Her campaign also spent $19,000 on political contributions, $10,000 on travel and $5,000 on food and drinks.

Republican Rep. Morgan Luttrell’s campaign spent $112,773, including more than $27,000 on digital consulting and nearly $27,200 on finance consulting. The Texan’s campaign also spent nearly $9,300 on food and beverage, and $5,300 on travel.

Shaheen’s campaign spent around $70,600 during the fourth quarter, including $11,900 on holiday card printing and $10,800 on political consulting. Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, announced in March that she would not seek reelection.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., talks with reporters in the U.S. Capitol on November 5, 2025. Tom Williams/AP

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced over the summer that he would be retiring. His campaign spent more than $60,000 during the fourth quarter, including more than $8,600 on food and drinks, $1,500 on fundraising consulting and $3,400 on transportation.

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin’s campaign spent more than $57,000 in the final three months of 2025, including around $4,500 on catering, $3,000 on political strategy consulting and nearly $1,400 on travel. Durbin, who represents Illinois, announced he would not seek reelection in April of last year.

“Senator Durbin is continuing to help his Democratic colleagues in an effort to retake the Senate and put a check on this Administration,” a Durbin spokesperson said in a statement to NOTUS.

Rep. Ralph Norman’s campaign spent $34,611 between October and December, including $16,635 for legal consulting and $4,500 for strategic management consulting. Norman, a Republican, is running for governor in South Carolina.

Rep. Nancy Mace, who announced in August that she would not seek reelection to Congress, is also running for governor in South Carolina. Between October and December, her congressional campaign spent $78,000, including $50,000 in legal fees to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and $15,000 on media consulting.

Rep. Nancy Mace holds a dog on a leash as she departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol. Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP

The campaign of Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York spent more than $38,000, including giving almost $11,000 to Robert Gottheim, his district chief of staff, for political consulting.

And the campaign of Democratic Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois spent almost $13,000 during the fourth quarter of 2025, more than $10,000 of which went to marketing communications.

Many members not running for reelection are choosing to give their extra funds away to like-minded candidates and political committees.

The campaign of Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona contributed $35,000 during the fourth quarter to the Republican Governors Association, according to its latest disclosure. Biggs, who previously chaired the House Freedom Caucus, announced last January that he would not seek reelection, and would instead run for governor of Arizona.

The campaign of Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska gave a combined $19,250 between October and December to various Republican candidates. His campaign also spent $15,000 on fundraising consulting and $4,000 for strategic consulting.

“There are numerous operational costs that come with maintaining this and all spending and reporting are in compliance with FEC regulations,” Daniel Rankin, a spokesperson for Bacon, said in a statement to NOTUS. “Additionally, contracts were in place with long-time campaign staff members who were honored for a period of time following the decision to retire. The campaign will continue to support fellow Republicans at both the federal and local levels, as is within the permitted guidelines of the FEC.”