House Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, who earlier this month announced his plan to retire rather than seek a fourth term in Congress, is reversing course.
“While my strong desire was to leave Congress at the end of this year, since my announcement, I have received countless calls from constituents, colleagues, and President Trump urging me to reconsider,” the Tennessee Republican said in a statement Thursday.
Axios was first to report the change in plans, which had been speculated about throughout the week. Green was not term limited at the Homeland Security panel.
Former President Donald Trump publicly encouraged Green to seek another term and endorsed him in a statement ahead of the announcement.
“Mark Green has had lots of options because of his political talents, and the great job he has done as a Congressman, but given the fantastic work he’s doing as Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I hope he runs for Re-Election to the U.S. House of Representatives,” the former president posted on Truth Social.
Green cited Trump in the statement explaining his decision.
“I realized once again: I had a duty to my country to fulfill. I will be running for re-election so I can be here on Day 1 next year to help President Trump end this border crisis once and for all,” Green said, citing a quote from Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
It was on Feb. 14, after the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, that Green said he would not seek another term. He issued a statement then saying “it is time for me to return home” because “our country — and our Congress — is broken beyond most means of repair.”
Those articles of impeachment have not yet been transmitted to the Senate for a potential trial or to be otherwise considered.
Green, 59, is a former Army flight surgeon who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is now the third member of the House GOP to reverse course from retirement, joining Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz and Texas Rep. Pat Fallon. Fallon briefly pondered running for the state Senate.
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., launched a Senate campaign earlier this month, then ended it before announcing Wednesday he would seek reelection to his House seat.
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