Missouri GOP Senator Roy Blunt announced he won’t seek re-election in 2022. He becomes the fifth GOP Senator to retire.  Blunt, 71,  made the announcement in a video posted on YouTube (see above).

“After 14 General Election victories — three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections — I won’t be a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate next year.”

The Kansas City Star writes: “Blunt is the No. 4 Republican in the Senate. His announcement follows a string of retirement announcements from other senior Republicans, including Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, all of whom will retire at the end of the current term.”

And there could be more with Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson yet to announce his intentions.

For those playing at home, @GOP retirements will now create open seats in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Missouri in 2022.

And maybe Wisconsin.

These Republicans see the writing on the wall that they are not taking back the majority.https://t.co/J0En8XaA1B

— chuckwestover (@chuckwestover) March 8, 2021