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U.S. NEWS Friday 6 december 2019

Georgia GOP Rep. Tom Graves

to retire

WASHINGTON (AP) — can Sen. Johnny Iskason pass the baton,” Graves
Georgia Republican Rep. to step down at the end of said, adding, “I have decid-
Tom Graves said Thursday December. GOP Rep. Rob ed not to seek reelection
he’ll retire after his current Woodall, narrowly reelect- in 2020, and instead, join
term in Congress, joining a ed last year in a diversifying my family in their new and
larger-than-typical group district outside Atlanta, will unique journeys.” Graves
of lawmakers taking their exit at the end of next year. has been a GOP loyal-
leave from an increasingly In a state ment addressing ist since winning a special
partisan and unproductive his constituents, 49-year-old election in 2010. He is a se-
Washington. Graves of Ranger called his nior member of the power-
The six-term congressman decade in Washington “an ful Appropriations Commit- In this April 9, 2019 file photo, Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga., speaks
is the 21st House Republi- honor that won’t be rep- tee and is the top Republi- during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington.
can to announce his retire- licated.” But he said he’s can on a panel established Associated Press
ment, and the third Capitol “entering a new season in by majority Democrats against a bipartisan House fore he ran for Congress,
Hill lawmaker from Georgia life” with his wife nearing re- to reform the operations resolution that rebuked Graves served seven years
who won’t seek re-election tirement and their children of Congress. Graves was President Donald Trump in the Georgia legislature.
in 2020. Health problems now young adults. “So, the among 60 GOP congress- for his decision to withdraw He was first elected to of-
are prompting Republi- time has come for me to men in October who voted U.S. troops from Syria. Be- fice at age 32.q