Rep. John Yarmuth, the chair of the House Budget Committee, announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection next year.
“It’s been an incredible journey since my first campaign in 2006 until now. I will continue to fight for Louisville in Washington for another 15 months, and then, I will retire from Congress,” Yarmuth (D-Ky.) said on Twitter.
In a video linked to his posting, Yarmuth said he never expected to serve so long in Congress.
“I will be 75 when my current term ends, and the desire to have more control of my time in the years I have left has become a high priority,” he said.
Yarmuth, who represents a district in Louisville, is the state’s only Democrat in Congress.
Democrats, who have a slight edge over Republicans in the House, 220 to 212, will try to retain their hold on the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections.