Could this prominent Republican senator be eyeing retirement?
On Wednesday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) suggested that he might not run for re-election in 2028, possibly opening up a Senate seat in a notable battleground state in a few years.
“I learned in my second run, when I absolutely meant ‘second and final,” you can’t say never, never, okay?” Johnson said during a Milwaukee Press Club event on Wednesday when asked about a 2028 run.
“I don’t want to,” he added. “Yeah, I’d like to dig my heels in now, set this nation on a sustainable course and then go home.”
During the Milwaukee Press Club event, Johnson said he doesn’t “covet” his role as a Senator.
“I don’t revel in the, ‘You know, I’m a U.S. senator,” Johnson said, adding later that he is “just a guy from Oshkosh, just trying to — literally trying to save this country.”
Johnson’s 2022 re-election was one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. Running against well-funded Democrat Mandela Barnes, Johnson was a top target for progressives hoping to flip a crucial swing-state seat. (RELATED: Ron Johnson Down Big in Latest Poll)
Early on in the campaign, Johnson’s seat was identified as a potential pickup opportunity for Democrats, and was one of the most hotly contested races all cycle with polls showing a near-tie in the final weeks of the campaign.
President Biden had narrowly carried Wisconsin in 2020, and Democrats mistakenly believed they could ride that momentum to oust Johnson.
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We need more republicans. He is welcome to leave. He is a horrible senator. Prominent my ass, he is a RINO.