BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey announced Monday morning that he does not plan to run for reelection when his term is up in 2022.
With his wife and three children by his side, Sen. Toomey made it clear he will be retiring from politics once his current term is up.
"I will not be running for reelection in 2022, and I will not be running for governor. I will serve out the remainder of my term with a little more than two years that are left in the current term, and after that, my plan is to go back to the private sector."
Spending more time with family and his belief that politicians should adhere to term limits are a few reasons behind the senator's decision to leave politics.
Toomey was elected to the office of the U.S. Senate in 2010, then reelected in 2016 but has been involved in politics for 18 years, which he said, "is a long time."
"As we approach the election, there was increasing interest in the next cycle, and that happens. As the only elected statewide Republican other than judges, it was understandable that people would ask me what my plans were, and as people were offering support and increased discussion about it, I just wanted to be candid with people, and once I made my decision, I thought it was best to let some people know, then everyone knows. I also think, frankly, it would be helpful for Republicans across the state who are thinking about running for Senate or governor more time to get their campaigns done," Sen. Toomey said.
"I have no specific plans, and I am not going to spend time or energy thinking about what I will do later until a good two years from now because I've got a lot of work still ahead of me," said the senator.
Toomey said he is proud of the work he's done focusing on tax reform and trade policies.
While he would not say who he would like to see replace him, he did say his reasoning behind making this announcement was to give potential candidates time.
Toomey finished his news conference by saying he still plans to work hard during his last two years and will continue to support President Trump through the election.