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GOP Sen. Rob Portman will not run for re-election, citing "partisan gridlock"

Jan. 25, 2021 03:39PM EST
 Dan Ackermann

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced Monday he will not run for a third term in the U.S. Senate in 2022, citing "partisan gridlock."

Why it matters: It's a surprise retirement from a prominent Senate Republican who easily won re-election in 2016 and was expected to do so again in 2022.

What they're saying: "I don’t think any Senate office has been more successful in getting things done, but honestly, it has gotten harder and harder to break through the partisan gridlock and make progress on substantive policy, and that has contributed to my decision," Portman said in a statement.

  • “We live in an increasingly polarized country where members of both parties are being pushed further to the right and further to the left, and that means too few people who are actively looking to find common ground."
  • "This is not a new phenomenon, of course, but a problem that has gotten worse over the past few decades."

This story is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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