Rep. Drew Ferguson announced Thursday he would not seek reelection to his safely Republican House seat in Georgia.

In a statement, Ferguson said he and his wife “look forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren while continuing to work to keep Georgia the best state in America to live and do business” without providing other specifics on his departure. He said Georgia is “calling us home.”

Ferguson served as chief deputy whip for Republicans from 2019 through 2023, and had been mulling a run for a GOP leadership role as recently as October. His attempt to rise to the position of majority whip raised the hackles of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year after Republicans regained control of the chamber.

His district outside of Atlanta is solidly Republican and will likely remain in GOP hands.

Related posts:

Comer requests all intelligence into Biden’s inconclusive Covid origins report Biden SCOTUS reform panel also mulls ‘dysfunctional’ confirmation process Kinzinger goes to bat for Biden over Jan. 6 committee comments Jackson will recuse herself from Harvard affirmative action case, she says Jackson pushes back on Hawley’s attack to her child pornography sentencing record Dems hurtle toward chaotic weekend with their agenda on the line Biden’s big bill: Two GOP strategists on how to kill it McConnell: Funding bill has ‘resources and the certainty’ military needs Senate clinches deal to advance $1.7T government funding bill The Electoral College is hazardous to democracy, Raskin says Under oath, RFK Jr. denies allegations of racist and antisemitic remarks Chuck Schumer lays out aggressive schedule for Israel aid post-trip