Ohio Senator Rob Portman announces won’t seek re-election; cites ‘partisan gridlock’

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, creating an open Senate seat in a red-leaning swing state.

Between the lines: Portman was one of the Republican senators who said that former President Trump “bears some responsibility” for the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. His decision not to seek re-election will free him from the political constraints of voting to convict Trump in his upcoming impeachment trial, though it’s not yet clear whether he will choose to do so.

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