Rep. Rob Woodall, who rode the 2010 tea party wave to Congress, previously chaired the Republican Study Committee and serves on the House Rules, Budget and Transportation committees. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Georgia Rep. Rob Woodall won't seek reelection

Republican Rep. Rob Woodall will not seek reelection at the end of his term, his office confirmed Thursday.

The Georgia lawmaker, who narrowly won reelection in his suburban Atlanta district last fall, cited political and personal reasons for his retirement in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.


“Doing what you love requires things of you, and having had that family transition made me start to think about those things that I have invested less in because I've been investing more here,” Woodall told the newspaper.

Woodall, who rode the 2010 tea party wave to Congress, previously chaired the Republican study committee and serves on the House Rules, Budget and Transportation committees. He was interested in serving as ranking member on the Rules Committee, but the role went to Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.)

Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux, who ran against Woodall in 2018 and lost by 433 votes, is expected to announce her candidacy for the seat on Feb. 12. The race will likely be one of the most competitive House battles in the 2020 cycle.

Bourdeaux was meeting with Democrats in the Capitol on Thursday when news of Woodall’s retirement broke. Bourdeaux has been in talks with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and planned to meet with a number of Georgia Democrats during her trip to Washington.

On Thursday, Woodall broke his retirement news to some of his Republican and Democratic colleagues, who were seen shaking his hand and patting his back on the House floor.

This article tagged under: Rob Woodall

Georgia