Democrats await Clyburn’s next move
Jim Clyburn is set to announce whether he’ll seek an 18th term or retire, a decision with implications for South Carolina Democrats and the future of one of the party’s most influential figures.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
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South Carolina will be the center of the Democratic political universe later this morning as Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) is expected to reveal whether he will seek an 18th term in Congress or retire after more than three decades on Capitol Hill.
Clyburn is scheduled to make the announcement at 10:30 a.m. ET at the South Carolina Democratic Party headquarters in Columbia, an event that is expected to draw intense attention from Democrats across Washington and the state he has represented since 1993.
The stakes extend beyond a single House seat. Clyburn has long been one of the most influential figures in Democratic politics, particularly within the Congressional Black Caucus and the broader coalition that powers the party’s base.
His reputation as a kingmaker was cemented during the 2020 presidential race. Days before South Carolina’s Democratic primary, Clyburn endorsed former President Joe Biden, delivering a political lifeline to Biden’s struggling campaign. The endorsement helped propel Biden to a decisive victory in South Carolina, reversing early losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada and setting him on a path to the Democratic nomination and ultimately the presidency.
Clyburn remained in Democratic leadership during the transition that followed the 2022 elections. After former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) stepped down, former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) left leadership and Clyburn shifted from whip to serve as Assistant House Minority leader in 2023, ensuring southern representation at the leadership table alongside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). As part of that transition, Clyburn also reclaimed his seat on the House Appropriations Committee and resumed his role as the top Democrat on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittee. He stepped away from leadership entirely in March 2024.
Since the leadership transition, Clyburn has taken on a quieter but still influential role inside the caucus. He remains widely respected among CBC members and continues to serve as an elder statesman to the current Democratic leadership team.
One of Clyburn’s most visible projects in recent years has been the Democratic Faith Working Group, an initiative to help Democratic lawmakers find common ground on legislation while strengthening the party’s engagement with faith communities.
Whether Clyburn runs again will have significant implications for Democratic politics in South Carolina and beyond. A retirement would likely trigger a crowded primary in the heavily Democratic 6th Congressional District and mark the end of one of the most consequential congressional careers of the modern era.
For now, Democrats across the party are watching Columbia. By late morning, they should have their answer.
HAPPENINGS
All times Eastern.
The House will meet at 9:30 a.m. for a brief non-voting session.
The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and will vote at 11:30 a.m. on passage of a major bipartisan housing bill. The Senate will vote at 1:45 p.m. to advance the DHS funding bill. It is likely to fall short of the 60-vote threshold.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. on the United States European Command and United States Transportation Command in review of the 2027 Defense Authorization Request and the Future Years Defense Program.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet to consider several nominations and a bill to ban certain uses of xylazine, a street drug known as “tranq,” used as a cutting agent for heroin and fentanyl.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) will hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. on Black civic participation.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and others will hold a press conference at 10:45 a.m. to introduce a tax bill.
President Donald Trump will participate in executive time at 8 a.m., receive his intelligence briefing at 10 a.m., participate in policy meetings at 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m, and a Women’s History Month event at 4 p.m.
IN THE KNOW
— The Trump administration said the U.S. will release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve beginning next week as part of a coordinated International Energy Agency effort by 32 countries to deploy roughly 400 million barrels aimed at easing global energy prices. The Department of Energy said the drawdown will take about 120 days, characterizing the move as both a response to market pressures tied to the war in Iran and part of a broader effort to stabilize fuel costs for American consumers.
— Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to create an “Economy of the Future Commission” tasked with studying how artificial intelligence will reshape the U.S. labor market and recommending policies on training, reskilling and economic competitiveness. The commission would include lawmakers and outside experts, and issue an interim report within seven months and final legislative recommendations within 13 months, covering issues ranging from workforce training and unemployment policy to maintaining U.S. leadership in emerging industries.
— Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) is leading 69 House Democrats in pressing FIFA to lower ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup, arguing that dynamic pricing has made the tournament financially inaccessible for many fans and host-city residents. Lawmakers are asking FIFA to shift more tickets into lower-cost tiers and reconsider dynamic pricing altogether, warning that soaring prices are undermining plans for an inclusive tournament experience in U.S. host cities.
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