Congressman Dwight Evans Retiring After Decades Of Public Service

PHILADELPHIA — Congressman Dwight Evans Monday said his tenure as an elected official will come to an end in 2027.

A Philadelphia native, Evans, 71, has represented Pennsylvania's Third Congressional District in Washington DC since 2019. He represented the Second District from 2016 to 2019. The district's shifted when Pennsylvania redrew is congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2018 election.

But before that, he represented the 203 Congressional District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1981 to 2016.

Evans Monday said he will not seek reelection to Congress in 2026, ending his career as a politician on Jan. 3. 2027.

"Serving the people of Philadelphia has been the honor of my life," Evans in his announcement. "And I remain in good health and fully capable of continuing to serve. After some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection, I have decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking re-election in 2026. "I am deeply proud of what I have been able to accomplish over my 45 years in elected office — from revitalizing neighborhoods block by block to fighting for justice, economic opportunity, investments in infrastructure and education. I cannot express the gratitude that I have for the trust that voters put in me as their voice in both state and federal office. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to serve as their advocate in government."

Until his term expires, Evans said he will continue to serve constituents fully, that his offices will remain open, and that he will support a smooth transition for his successor.

Born in North Philadelphia and raised in the Germantown and West Oak Lane neighborhoods, Evans began his career as a teacher in the city’s public schools and as a community organizer with the Urban League. In 1980, at just 26 years old, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he served for 36 years. He made history as the first African-American chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, serving in that powerful role for two decades.

Among his signature accomplishments in Harrisburg was spearheading the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which brought healthy grocery stores and thousands of jobs to underserved communities and became a national model for bringing healthy food to food deserts in both urban and rural areas. He was also instrumental in the creation of Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program, which became the model for nationwide CHIP.

In 2016, Evans was elected to represent Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District (later redistricted as the 3rd), succeeding longtime Congressman Chaka Fattah. In Congress, he serves on the influential Ways and Means Committee, which oversees Social Security, Medicare, taxes and trade, and has served on the Small Business Committee and Agriculture Committee, advocating for equitable economic development, criminal justice reform, funding for school repairs, affordable housing, and access to health care and healthy food.

In 2025, Evans has fought to defend gains made during the Biden-Harris administration and against the pending Trump "Reverse Robin Hood" bill that would give the richest another tax cut and cut Medicaid and SNAP food aid. He fought the bill during a nearly 18-hour markup in the Ways and Means Committee, and voted against it in the full House – a vote two Republicans slept through, including one 31 years younger than Evans. He will vote against it again if the Senate returns it to the House.

Evans has been a vocal supporter of key legislation including the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. He also introduced bills to address gun violence, finance repairs to schools, invest in historically Black colleges and universities, and promote economic empowerment in urban communities.

Throughout his time in public office, Evans remained rooted in his neighborhood — living just blocks from where he grew up — and never wavered in his commitment to building a better Philadelphia for all.

Evans represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. He recently announced that his office returned to or saved $4.5 million for constituents in 2024 in cases involving federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs. The 2024 figure brings Evans’ office’s total to more than $45.5 million returned to or saved for constituents during his first eight full years in Congress.

Evans serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, including its Subcommittee on Health. The committee oversees Social Security, Medicare, taxes, and trade.