WASHINGTON — A Republican senator who drew national criticism after telling constituents that “we all are going to die” in response to questions about proposed Medicaid cuts has announced he will not run for reelection in 2026, closing out more than a decade in the U.S. Senate.
The senator, whose comments went viral during a tense 2017 town hall meeting, confirmed to aides this week that he intends to retire at the end of his current term. The announcement is expected to become public next week, according to two people familiar with the matter.
At 69, the senator said privately that he believes he has accomplished what he set out to do in Washington and now wants to spend more time with family. But the timing of his decision comes as his party faces renewed scrutiny over health care, social spending, and the future of entitlement programs.
The infamous remark
The senator’s most enduring moment on the national stage came in 2017, when he faced constituents angry about Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and scale back Medicaid funding. When one attendee asked him about the impact on vulnerable families, he bluntly responded:
“Listen, we all are going to die.”
The remark was intended, he later claimed, to emphasize the inevitability of mortality and the need for fiscal discipline. But it was seized upon by critics as callous and dismissive, crystallizing concerns that GOP lawmakers were indifferent to the human consequences of health care cuts.
The clip circulated widely on social media and was replayed on late-night television. Opponents used it to rally grassroots resistance, while the senator’s allies tried to downplay it as a poorly phrased attempt at humor.
Legislative record
First elected to the Senate in 2014, the senator has been a consistent conservative vote on fiscal issues, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. He supported the 2017 Republican tax overhaul, backed President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees, and advocated for a robust national defense budget.
On health care, he repeatedly supported measures to roll back Medicaid expansion and limit federal spending on entitlement programs, arguing that unchecked costs would burden future generations. His critics countered that such cuts disproportionately harmed low-income and rural families, many of whom reside in his home state.
Despite the controversy, he was reelected in 2020 by a comfortable margin, benefiting from strong Republican turnout and the state’s overall conservative tilt.
Decision not to run
In recent months, speculation had swirled about whether he would seek a third term. While he had been fundraising, he grew increasingly candid with colleagues about his fatigue with Washington’s partisanship and his desire to leave before facing what could be a difficult campaign in a shifting political landscape.
The senator has also faced pressure from within his own party. A new generation of Republicans, some aligned with Trump’s populist wing and others representing a more pragmatic conservatism, have already begun maneuvering for the seat.
By stepping aside, the senator clears the way for what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate primaries of the 2026 cycle.
Reaction at home
News of his decision has prompted mixed reactions in his home state. Some longtime supporters praised his service, pointing to his military background and his role in securing federal infrastructure funds. Others remained critical, recalling his Medicaid remark as emblematic of a political career that often prioritized ideology over compassion.
Local Democratic leaders immediately framed his retirement as an opening. “This is a chance for our state to send someone to Washington who listens to working families instead of dismissing their concerns,” one state legislator said Friday.
Broader implications
His retirement adds to a growing list of Republican senators who will not return in 2026. Alongside recent announcements from Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, the departures highlight a generational shift within the GOP.
Strategists warn that open seats can be unpredictable, particularly in swing states or where party factions are deeply divided. National Democrats, eyeing the Senate majority, are expected to pour resources into the race.
Looking back, looking forward
Though his legacy will include a steady conservative voting record, the senator may be remembered most for a single phrase that captured both his blunt speaking style and the political battles of the Trump era: “We all are going to die.”
For critics, it symbolized indifference to the struggles of ordinary Americans. For supporters, it was proof of an unvarnished honesty often lacking in politics.
Either way, his impending departure ensures that a new voice will soon represent his state in Washington — one tasked with navigating not only health care and entitlement debates, but also the deeper question of how leaders speak to the people they serve.