The acknowledgement that the GOP remains the party of Trump is likely a contributing factor in the increasing number of Senate Republican retirement announcements. "I think there's a growing recognition this is not the Republican Party of days of yore, still very much the party of Trump," Reed said. OLD GUARD SENATE REPUBLICANS ANNOUNCE 2022 RETIREMENTSTwo other Senate Republicans are also mulling retirements – 87-year old Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. "After President Obama won election in 2008, there were seven Senate GOP retirements, but that still didn't prevent Republicans from winning back six seats in the Senate two years later," Walsh pointed out. And the increasing number of Senate GOP retirements means more Republican primaries over the next year and a half.

Source: Fox News March 08, 2021 19:52 UTC