(The Center Square) — Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York says he won't run for office next year, citing the need for a "generation change" in the party after it lost the White House and control of Congress in the previous election.

"This decision has not been easy," Nadler, 78, said in a statement Tuesday. "But I know in my heart it is the right one and that it is the right time to pass the torch to a new generation."

Nadler, 78, is serving his 17th term in Congress. He was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023, and a ranking member on the panel after Republicans won House leadership. He stepped down from that position last year. He was a also manager of the House panel that impeached Republican President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House.

In an interview with the New York Times posted Monday night, Nadler said then-President Joe Biden's bungled reelection campaign last year made him realize that it was time for a change of guard in the Democratic Party, and suggested that a younger lawmaker might be better suited to hold the congressional seat.

"Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that," he told the newspaper.

Nadler touted a list of his accomplishments over the years, and his efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and "the role I played to approve the Iran nuclear deal to prevent their development of nuclear weapons."

"I am equally proud of some legislation that I voted against – including the USA PATRIOT Act, the resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq, and more recently, President Trump’s Big Ugly Bill," he said.

His decision not to seek another two-year term comes after fellow Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin announced his intention to campaign for the job, touting support from other top New York Democrats. Liam Elkind, 26, entered the race for Nadler's congressional seat last month, saying it's time for younger leaders to rebuild the Democratic party.

Attorney General Letita James was among the Democrats who praised Nadler for his years of public service and said his leadership in Congress will be missed.

"For decades, Rep. Jerry Nadler dedicated himself to fighting for New Yorkers, Americans, and the principles our country was built on, especially justice," James said in a statement. "His work made our nation better, and as he leaves public service, his legacy will never be forgotten."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was "deeply grateful" for Nadler's years of public service, calling him a "champion, a fighter, and a trusted voice for New Yorkers" who has "never wavered in delivering for the people he so proudly represents."