Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah on Wednesday introduced that he is not going to search reelection subsequent yr. His present time period ends in early 2025.

“Whereas I am not operating for reelection, I am not retiring from the combat,” Romney, 76, mentioned in a video posted to X, previously Twitter.

Romney highlighted his age as he introduced his determination.

“I’ve spent my final 25 years in public service of 1 variety or one other. On the finish of one other time period, I would be in my mid-eighties,” Romney mentioned.

“Frankly, it is time for a brand new technology of leaders,” he mentioned.

Whether or not intentional or not, these remarks drew an implicit distinction with a few of Romney’s even-older colleagues, together with 81-year-old Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and 90-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Each have suffered latest public well being scares which have raised issues about whether or not they’re able to carry out their duties.

Romney mentioned in August that he would reveal his determination on operating for one more Senate time period by the autumn.

Romney was elected to the Senate in 2018, a return to elected workplace for the previous governor of Massachusetts who mounted a failed bid to unseat then-President Barack Obama in 2012.

In Congress, Romney distinguished himself as one in every of former President Donald Trump’s few outspoken Republican critics. He was the one Republican to vote to convict Trump following his first impeachment trial in early 2020, a choice that drew a scornful response from Trump and his allies.

Romney joined six different Republican senators in 2021 who voted to convict Trump following his second impeachment for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol rebel.

Romney’s animosity towards Trump pre-dated his election to the Senate. Within the 2016 election cycle, Romney unleashed a torrent of criticism towards Trump, denouncing the then-rising star of the GOP as a “fraud” and inspiring voters to select one in every of his remaining main challengers.

However after Trump defied Romney’s prediction by defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton within the common election, Romney traveled to Trump’s golf membership for a non-public assembly, fueling hypothesis that he was within the operating for a cupboard position.

Romney didn’t point out Trump by identify in Wednesday’s video saying his retirement from Congress. As a substitute, he went via a listing of his accomplishments, together with serving to to barter a bipartisan infrastructure legislation.

“You already know, opposite to lots of expectations, I get pleasure from my work within the Senate an excellent deal,” Romney mentioned within the video.

That is breaking information. Please verify again for updates.