John,

Yesterday, I announced that I will not seek reelection to the U.S. Senate when my term ends next year. 

I’m overwhelmed by the kind words and support from my colleagues and folks back home in Delaware – thank you.

If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I have a story I’d like to share: 

Some 59 years have passed since I first raised my right hand as a 17-year-old Navy ROTC midshipman and took an oath to defend our country and its Constitution. I never imagined then that I would take the oath again and again as a naval flight officer and P-3 aircraft mission commander in an active duty and reserve career that would span some 23 years before I retired with the rank of captain. I am the last Vietnam veteran serving in the U.S. Senate today. 

With the unwavering support and encouragement of our President over the years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Delaware’s State Treasurer after being elected at the age of 29. I went on to defeat a three-term incumbent Congressman, setting the stage to win two terms as Delaware’s Governor. Working with Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly, we focused every day on strengthening the basic building blocks of our society: families. We reformed welfare and the school system, preserved open space, recruited 10,000 mentors, and created more jobs over an eight-year period than any eight-year period in the history of our state. I also served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the National Governors’ Association, only the second Delaware Governor to do so at the time. 

It was Joe Biden who encouraged me to run for the Senate in my last year as Governor. Once in the Senate, I sought and won a seat on several committees, including the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. I still remain a Senior Member of the latter committee today, and I have the privilege of leading the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works along with my fellow native West Virginian Shelley Moore Capito. I’m also privileged to chair the Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness of the Senate Finance Committee with Ranking Member John Cornyn of Texas. 

As last year came to a close and the new one began, Martha and I began to focus on what I should do next. If I ran for a fifth term in the Senate and won, it would be a record 15 statewide elections. After a good deal of prayer and introspection, and more than a few heart-to-heart conversations, we’ve decided we should run through the tape over the next 20 months and finish the important work that my staff and I have begun on a wide range of fronts. Much of this work began in partnership with Democrat and Republican colleagues in the Senate and House.

At the top of the list is to oversee the implementation of major portions of our massive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with its major climate provisions, that I led the passage of, along with the transformational clean energy tax provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Implementation of both laws is indispensable if we are to ultimately win the battle against global warming while creating tens of millions of American jobs in the years to come.

The great privilege of my life has been the opportunity to serve the people of the First State and of the United States in so many different roles for so many years. I’ve never felt the gratitude and affection of so many Delawareans as I feel today when traveling through our Small Wonder. It is palpable, it is a source of joy, and it is deeply, deeply appreciated.

Thank you very much. More to come. 

– Tom




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