GOP Trump critic Adam Kinzinger won't run for re-election: 'Time to move on'

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 29 October 2021

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), a Republican critic of former President Donald Trump who voted to impeach him earlier this year, has announced he won't seek re-election.

Kinzinger made the announcement in a video shared Friday on Twitter, saying it's "time to move on from Congress" and that he can't "focus on both a re-election" campaign and on "a broader fight nationwide."

Kinzinger, who has served in Congress since 2011, is one of only two Republicans on the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6 riot, with the other being Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). He was also one of 10 Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the riot. Kinzinger told The Washington Post at the time voting to impeach "was, frankly, an easy decision," and in his announcement video, he applauded the "courage of the other nine members in the House" who voted with him even though this "could be detrimental to their political career." The announcement came after the Illinois state legislature "passed a new congressional map early Friday morning that drew the lawmaker into the same district with another Republican incumbent," Rep. Darin Lahood (R-Il.), "setting up a would-be primary matchup," Politico reports.

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Kinzinger on Friday also said "we've allowed leaders to reach power selling the false premise that strength comes from degrading others" and warned that as a result, "We face a poisoned country." While he won't run for re-election next year, though, he said "this isn't the end of my political future, but the beginning." In August, Kinzinger told Politico, "I certainly wouldn't rule out Senate or governor and anything else. Maybe, who knows?"

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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