Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) shocked the political world on Monday when he announced that he would not seek re-election in 2022.
Portman, who is known as one of the party's more pragmatic members, said in announcing his decision to not run again in 2022 that he has grown tired of nonstop "gridlock" in the Senate that has ground the legislative process to a halt.
Portman was considered by political observers to be a shoo-in to win re-election next year, and his announcement will lead to a free-for-all among Ohio Republicans who want to win his seat.
Some Republican strategists expressed alarm at Portman's decision.
"Well, this will be a total sh*t show," one GOP strategist texted to BuzzFeed News reported Henry Gomez.
Brendan Buck, a former staffer for former House Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan, lamented Portman's impending retirement and wrote on Twitter that "Congress is no place for a sensible Republican anymore."
And Amanda Carpenter, a former speechwriter for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), said that Portman's announcement means he should have no hesitation about convicting former President Donald Trump in the Senate.
"Can I count on Portman to vote to convict now?" she asked.
