New York, New York - Representative Jerry Nadler has announced he will not seek reelection to the US House in 2026.

Nadler's decision to retire is expected to tee up a competitive 2026 primary in New York's 12th congressional district in the heart of Manhattan.

The Democratic lawmaker said Joe Biden's 2024 presidential reelection campaign – which ended early amid concerns of severe cognitive decline – figured into his decision not to seek another term in the House.

"Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that," the 78-year-old told the New York Times.

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He said a younger successor "can maybe do better, can maybe help us more."

Nadler has spent 34 years in the House and is the longest-serving New Yorker in Congress' lower chamber.

As former chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler helped lead impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump during the president's first term.

"I'm not saying we should change over the entire party," he said in the Times interview. "But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism."

Nadler – a longtime supporter of Israel – told the outlet he does not agree with calling the Gaza siege a genocide, though Israel is committing war crimes and mass murder "without question." He said he will join lawmakers aiming to block US offensive weapons transfers to Israel, while continuing to fund its missile defense systems.