Republican Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi won't seek re-election in 2020
- Wyoming Republican Sen. Mike Enzi announced Saturday that he will not run for a fifth term in 2020.
- Enzi's retirement will open the first Senate seat for the state in years, though it is expected to remain in Republican hands.
- Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney could be a likely contender for the seat.
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GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming Republican US Sen. Mike Enzi announced Saturday that he will not run for a fifth term in 2020.
The 75-year-old made the announcement in his hometown of Gillette.
"I have much to get done in the next year and a half," he said Saturday of his decision, according CNN. "I want to be able to focus on budget reform to get control of our national debt; Several small business initiatives; Protecting and diversifying Wyoming's Jobs. I don't want to be burdened with the distractions of a campaign. After this term I will find other ways to serve."
Enzi, who is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, was first elected to the US Senate in 1996, replacing former Republican Sen. Al Simpson.
With Enzi's retirement, Wyoming will have its first open Senate seat in more than a decade.
The seat is expected to remain in Republican hands.
Enzi's departure could open the way for Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.
"Mike Enzi has devoted himself to serving our state and the country," Cheney said in a statement reported by multiple outlets. "During his 20 years in Washington, he brought our state's values to the nation's capital, fighting for a smaller, less obstructive, and more efficient federal government that would allow people to grow and thrive."
Five years ago, she launched an ill-fated challenge against Enzi. She dropped out of the race before the primary. Still, she was elected to Congress in 2014 and was reelected last year.