U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt announced Monday that he will not seek re-election for his seat in 2022. 

Blunt, a Republican, announced his retirement in a video posted to YouTube while highlighting his electoral victories. 

“After 14 General Election victories — three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives and four statewide elections — I won’t be a candidate for re-election to the United States Senate next year,” Blunt said.  

Blunt was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and was the House Republican Whip during his 14 years in the House of Representatives. 

“In every job Missourians have allowed me to have, I have tried to do my best,” said Blunt in the announcement video. “In almost 12,000 votes in the Congress, I’m sure some weren’t right every time, but you really make that decision based on the information you have at the time.” 

Former state Sen. Scott Sifton, a Democrat from Affton, announced Feb. 8 that he would be running for Blunt’s seat in 2022. 

Some media outlets have reported that former Gov. Eric Greitens is considering a Senate run and could end up being the Republican challenger against Sifton. Greitens hinted that he could run against Blunt in the primary. 

Blunt began his political career as the Greene County clerk. He was then elected Missouri’s Secretary State — the first Republican to hold that office in 50 years. After his post as the Secretary of State, Blunt was elected to Congress in Missouri’s 7th District. After serving in leadership in the House of Representatives, Blunt successfully ran for Senate in 2010 and was re-elected in 2016.

The Missouri Republican Party released a statement that it “is grateful for everything Senator Blunt has done for Missouri and The United States.”

The party stated, “Senator Blunt has always been a supporter of the Missouri Republican Party and a fighter for Missouri. We wish Senator Blunt and his family the best as they move into the next chapter of their life.”

GOP Chairman Nick Myers said, “Throughout his years of service to Missourians, Senator Blunt always made Missouri his number one priority and has always done his duty. I look forward to Missouri continuing to benefit from his presence in the US Senate over the next two years.”