US Senator Saxby Chambliss, a Republican who broke with a conservative pledge not to raise taxes, said Friday he will not seek re-election in 2014.
“I have no doubt that had I decided to be a candidate, I would have won re-election,” he said in a statement.
“Instead, this is about frustration, both at a lack of leadership from the White House and at the dearth of meaningful action from Congress, especially on issues that are the foundation of our nation’s economic health.”
The 69-year-old, two-term lawmaker, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
His retirement is expected to trigger a fierce battle for his seat, and three conservatives in the House of Representatives — Paul Broun, Phil Gingrey and Tom Price — were considered likely candidates for the Republican primary.
The senator has a largely conservative record, but he has drawn anger from some conservative quarters for seeking bipartisanship on fiscal issues.
Chambliss and fellow Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia both voted for the deal negotiated in the final days of 2012 that averted the so-called “fiscal cliff.” All eight House Republicans from the state voted against it.
Chambliss also helped lead the bipartisan “Gang of Six” senators who in 2011 began working together on resolving the US debt ceiling crisis and proposed a solution that included raising tax revenues as a way to help reduce the deficit.
In November, he dismissed conservative Grover Norquist’s longstanding pledge, signed by most Republicans in Congress, not to vote for any tax increases. “I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” he said.
US Senator Chambliss will not seek re-election: report
