Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Toomey says he won't run for another Senate term or governor

Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey says he won't seek re-election in 2022 and plans to leave public service

Via AP news wire
Monday 05 October 2020 10:25 EDT
Toomey-Future
Toomey-Future (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey confirmed Monday he will not seek re-election in 2022 and plans to leave public service a surprise move for the fiercely anti-tax and anti-regulation lawmaker who had been seen as a favorite for GOP nominee for governor

Toomey’s decision will force Pennsylvania Republicans to look elsewhere for nominees for both seats in a state where both parties have shown they can win statewide races.

At a news conference near his home in suburban Allentown, Toomey said he will serve out the final two years of his second term, “and after that my plan is to go back to the private sector.”

“I always thought that I’d probably serve just two terms and often mentioned that along the way,” Toomey said at the news conference, attended by his wife and family.

Toomey is a stalwart proponent of free markets and smaller government who was staunchly supported in the past by the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch and the Club for Growth, the take-no-prisoners free-markets advocacy group Toomey once led.

But Toomey had often expressed frustration with how the Senate operates and had never promised to run for a third term. Still, the news of his future plans that broke Sunday has reshuffled the deck for Republicans looking ahead to the two major statewide races in two years.

As Pennsylvania’s only statewide elected Republican official outside of the courts, until his decision to step aside he had been widely considered among the favorites to receive the gubernatorial nominee in 2022, when Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited.

Toomey had long expressed an interest in running for governor, and he said his decision to announce he would not be running for anything in 2022 was prompted by calls from people seeking to help him run for Senate or governor.

His family remained in Pennsylvania while he served in Congress, Toomey said.

“I'm looking forward to more time back at home,” he said.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in