MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Tennessee Lt. Gov. and Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he will not seek reelection this fall.
The Blountville Republican made the surprise announcement Wednesday morning on the floor of the Senate.
Ramsey has held state office for 24 years, four years in the House and 20 in the State Senate. He has served as Senate Speaker for nearly a decade and is the longest serving Republican Speaker in state history.
In a press statement released this morning, Ramsey lists education reform, tort reform and worker’s compensation reform among his major accomplishments.
A staunch conservative, Ramsey is known for speaking bluntly and for off-the-cuff comments that have often proved controversial.
Ramsey noted in this morning’s announcement that his fifth grandchild had just been born, and that he’s leaving public office to spend more time with his family and his business.
In a statement released following Ramsey’s announcement, the Tennessee State Republican Party said that Ramsey leaves behind “and incredible legacy of reform that will be hard for anyone to match.”