Senator Ron Johnson will seek a 3rd term

Johnson from Wisconsin

Senator Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, announced Sunday during a press conference The Wall Street Journal that he will run for a third Senate term in 2022.

Johnson, who first won election to the Senate in 2010 as part of that year’s Tea Party wave, said in 2016 that his second term would be his last. “It’s a strong preference for me and my wife – we both desire a normal private life. Neither of us could have foreseen a complete Democratic takeover of the administration.” he wrote.

He agrees to run only after what New York Times called “an intense lobbying campaign from Republicans in both Wisconsin and Washington” who feared that, if Johnson resigned, his seat might be forfeited. The twelve Democrats are competed for a chance to unmask him.

New York Times described Johnson as “the Senate’s top misinformer about the elections and the coronavirus pandemic”, drawing attention to Johnson’s claim that gargling with mouthwash can prevent COVID and the January 6 riots were instigated by “fake Trump supporters”.

Senator John Thune (RS.D.), who infuriated Trump when he refused to help the former president overturn the 2020 election, announced Saturday that he also plans to run for re-election in year 2022.

Five other Republican senators have also announced their retirement. Republicans are heavily supported to retake the House in 2022, but the fate of the equally divided Senate remains unclear.