House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte announced Thursday he won’t seek re-election in 2018.
Goodlatte, 65, was first elected to his seat in 1993. The Virginia Republican was set to term out of his chairmanship at the end of the 115th Congress.
“With my time as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee ending in December 2018, this is a natural stepping-off point and an opportunity to begin a new chapter of my career and spend more time with my family, particularly my granddaughters,” he said in a statement.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers said he’s confident the GOP can hold onto Virginia’s 6th District.
“I applaud his dedication to fighting for our Constitutional freedoms, his work on immigration and criminal justice reform, and his unwavering desire to lower our health care costs,” he said in a statement. “I wish him and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
Goodlatte is the third GOP House member to announce their retirement this week, joining New Jersey Rep. Frank LoBiondo and Texas Rep. Ted Poe.