Voinovich Announces Retirement

Chris Cillizza reports that Ohio Sen. George Voinovich is retiring in 2010, the fourth Republican to announce he is stepping aside at the end of his term.

Voinovich announced his retirement this morning after a weekend filled with speculation that he was planning to step aside.

"This has not been an easy decision for us," Voinovich said of himself and his wife. "I still have the fire in my belly to do the work of our nation, but after serving the next two years, it will be time to step back and spend the rest of our time with our children and grandchildren, siblings and extended family and friends."

Even as Voinovich's decision went public, former Rep. Rob Portman was moving to consolidate support behind his candidacy for the Republican nomination. Portman has already reached out to House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) to make clear he would run, and reportedly will unveil Mercer Reynolds, the finance chairman of President George W. Bush's reelection race, as his lead money man.'

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