Citing partisan gridlock in Congress, Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio says he won't run for a third term in 2022.
"We live in an increasingly polarized county, where members of both parties are pushed further to the right and further to the left. And there are too few people who are actively looking for that common ground. This is not a new phenomenon of course, but it's a problem that has gotten worse over the past couple of decades."
Portman condemned Donadl Trump's role in inciting the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, but questions whether impeachment of a former President is constitutional.
The 65-year old Portman was first elected in 2010 to the seat vacated by George Voinovich, then defeated Ted Strickland with 58 percent of the vote in 2016.
The former U.S. Trade Representative says he is announcing his decsion now in order to give the party a good amount of time to find replacement candidates. Portman says he plans to return to the private sector, but promises to stay active in public life.
