“Today, I announce that I will not attempt a seventh term in the U.S. Senate in 2022,” the 86-year-old Republican said in a statement. “For everything, there is a season.”
Shelby’s announcement follows several other high-profile Republican senators who announced plans not to run for re-election in 2020. Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio said they will not run again when their term ends next year.
Shelby chaired the Endowments, Rules, Banks and Intelligence committees in the Senate. He said he was proud of his work with a focus on economics, education, space exploration and, always appropriating, the Port of Mobile.
Shelby’s decision will open a fierce race in the dark red state. Possible candidates include Shelby’s former chief of staff, Katie Boyd Britt, who is now the president and CEO of the Alabama Business Council, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and Rep. Mo Brooks.
Brooks spokesman Clay Mills declined to comment.
The Senate is currently divided into 50-50. Democrats hope that the retirement of three other Republican senators – Portman, Toomey and Richard Burr of North Carolina – will help them retain control of the Senate.
This story was updated with further developments on Monday.