Sen. Blunt Announces Retirement

Sen. Blunt (R-MO) announced on Monday that he will not run for reelection in 2022.  Per Sen. Blunt, “after 14 general election victories, three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections, I won’t be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year."  Sen. Blunt was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and previously served 14 years in the House, where he was also a member of GOP leadership.

He's the fifth Senate Republican expected not to seek reelection next year.  Sens. Toomey (R-PA), Portman (R-OH), and Shelby (R-AL) have announced that they will retire at the end of their current term. Sen. Burr (R-NC) had previously indicated he will not run for reelection.  In 2022, Senate Republicans will be defending a total of 20 seats, compared to 14 for Democrats including two seats in states that President Biden won: Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.