Senator Johnny Isakson
Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., on Wednesday said he will leave his Senate seat at the end of the year due to health issues.
He said, “After much prayer and consultation with my family and my doctors, I have made the very tough decision to leave the U.S. Senate at the end of this year. I have informed Georgia Governor Brian Kemp today that I will resign my Senate seat effective December 31, 2019.
“I am leaving a job I love because my health challenges are taking their toll on me, my family and my staff.
My Parkinson’s has been progressing, and I am continuing physical therapy to recover from a fall in July. In addition, this week I had surgery to remove a growth on my kidney.
“In my 40 years in elected office, I have always put my constituents and my state of Georgia first. With the mounting health challenges I am facing, I have concluded that I will not be able to do the job over the long term in the manner the citizens of Georgia deserve. It goes against every fiber of my being to leave in the middle of my Senate term, but I know it’s the right thing to do on behalf of my state.
“I look forward to returning to Washington on September 9 when the Senate goes back into session. And after December 31, I look forward to continuing to help the people of Georgia in any way I can and also helping those who are working toward a cure for Parkinson’s.”
Senator Isakson’s Senate term ends in 2022, and there will be three years left in the term when he vacates the seat in December.
Senator Isakson, 74, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013. In July, he fell in his D.C. apartment and suffered four fractured ribs and a torn rotator cuff. On Monday, he underwent surgery at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta to remove a 2-centimeter renal cell carcinoma from one of his kidneys.
In 2016, he won re-election with 54 percent of the vote and became the first Republican in Georgia to be elected to a third term in the U.S. Senate. After more than three decades in the real estate business, he became the only elected official in Georgia to serve in the Georgia House, the Georgia Senate, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate.
Senator David Perdue said, “When Johnny Isakson speaks, people listen. He is a true statesman, and it shows every day. It is my high honor to serve as Johnny’s partner in the United States Senate. Like so many Georgians, I was surprised and saddened to learn that he will not finish the rest of his term. Together, we are able to get real results for Georgia. Throughout his four decades of service, Johnny has always been a champion for the people of Georgia, especially our veterans. Bonnie and I are grateful for Johnny and Dianne’s leadership, and we are proud to call them our friends.”
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander said, “It is hard to say an early goodbye to the most popular member of the United States Senate, but it is reassuring to know that Johnny Isakson has contributed an example of statesmanship and service that will last for a long time. We will miss his civility, independence, and genuine good will, and I will miss regularly seeing a good friend.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn said, “Senator Isakson is a true statesman who has served Georgians dutifully for four decades. He is one of a kind. I will be forever grateful for his support, friendship and leadership in the Senate. I look forward to serving alongside him through the rest of the year. I am keeping him in my prayers.”
Rep. Tom Graves said, “The very first political event I ever attended was Johnny Isakson’s election night party when he was the Republican nominee for Governor in 1990. While the results didn’t turn out as we had hoped, he unknowingly inspired me, a cash-strapped college student, to consider a life of public service. In his 40 years of service, Johnny has shown unwavering dedication to our state and our country. He’s governed with grace and is admired and respected by all who have been lucky to serve with him. While his physical presence will be absent in the U.S. Senate, his legacy and dedication to Georgia families will live on through so many others, including me. Thank you, Johnny.”