WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sources close to Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, tell CNN he will announce Monday he is retiring from the Senate.
The 72-year-old senator and former Ohio governor has been contemplating retirement for a while but made his final decision this weekend in Florida, where he was joined by his wife, children and grandchildren, according to one of the sources.
Voinovich plans to serve out his term, which expires in 2010.
He plans to make the announcement at 4 p.m. ET Monday in Washington, the source said.
Voinovich will be the fourth Republican senator to announce he will not run for re-election in 2010. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri, said late last week that we would retire, joining Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, and Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, who had already announced they would leave Capitol Hill when their terms end at the close of the 111th Congress.
Republicans must defend 15 incumbents and four open seats in 2010. (Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, whose term is not up until 2012, is seriously considering a 2010 gubernatorial bid and could also be vacating her seat early).
Meanwhile, Democrats have to defend 15 incumbents and two seats where special elections are expected to be held. In Delaware, a special election will be scheduled for Vice President-elect Joe Biden's seat as well as a special election in New York should Hillary Clinton be confirmed as the next Secretary of State.
From CNN Politics
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Rob Portman will run for this seat and win.
Sure can't blame him. Who would want to have to see Harry Reid every work day?
Now that they will have a boss that has said he won't give them everything they want they are bailing....interesting closer look at the character of these gentlemen
22 OF THE 100 SENATE MEMBERS, ARE OVER THE AGE OF 70!
CONGRESS TERM LIMITS . . . 12 YEARS, NO RETIREMENT!
THAT COULD SAVE THE TAX PAYERS "A LOT OF MONEY"
but that will NOT exonerate these rats
from law suits for their crimes against humanity
as long as they are alive,
wherever they may try to hide their sorry arse!
you will be pursued to the end of the world,
till justice is finally served to the last rat on earth!
Boy, it's unbelievable how thin skinned these guys are when they're not in power.
I am a lifelong Ohio democrat. Senator Vionovich is the only republican I have ever voted for. He is a good politician and an even better man. He is what is right with politics either and a democrat or republican.
Yay! Another one bites the dust.
first the Florida GOP senator, now Ohio's, the Democrats are definitiely going to spend all of their time and money on these races
No one can blame them when the culture in the GOP attracts folks like Palin and Joe the dim wit.
I guess the damocrats (I meant damocrats, it's not a misspelling) can steal another election. They're pretty good at that and have you and the other news media to cover it up for them!
And another one bites the dust!
9 days till the end of the Bush administration.
Thank God! Good Riddance, George! Please resign tomorrow. Do it for Ohio. Do it for Palestine and America. Do it for yourself.
like rats from a sinking ship...
Shocked. I am so suprised.
Anyone else? I'm loving this. May they all retire. Then when they're done, maybe the Democratic Party will quit their spineless whining about, "don't have a majority in the Senate to get an impeachment of..."....oops the Bush has done left the building. The elephant has stumbled, the elephant is dying.
So? Let all of them retire. It saves them the humilation of losing re-election. Republicans are going the way of the Whig Party.
This is very sad. Senator George Voinovich will certainly be missed in the Senate. He was a great guy and truly cared about issues plaguing Ohioians. I wish him a great retirement.
Will Rob Portman run to replace him...?
The GOP Senators are running away as fast as they can. Ohio is trending Democratic. The hand writing is on the wall. This seat will go Democratic in 2010.
Another one bites the dust. The Dems will probably have around 65 senators in 2011 and the GOP will fall apart.
One more down – Only 39 to go...
I was born and raised in Ohio, and while I don't live there any more, I still consider myself an Ohioan. I also lean far to the left, so it would take a lot for me to like a Republican, but Voinovich has always had my respect. I haven't always agreed with him, but he goes more on facts and his opinion than the party line, and with the state of the country we need more senators of this mindset. I'm sorry to see him go, but I wish him all the best.
Good. Good-bye and good riddance. One less Republican to stand in President Obama's way as he tries to repair the damage the Repubs have done to this country.
Now, only about 40 more to go.
Wow another republican responsible for burning our tax dollars
for years is leaving! Thank you Jesus! A terrible Gov and a Senate
record that is just as pitiful! This guy has stood in the way of progress for years by drinking the reaganomics kool-aid!
Hey you have the right to be a bigot, prejudice, rat bastard, but
you lose the right to CREATE LAWS FOR OTHERS TO LIVE BY!
AKA THE DECIDER!