quote:

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s surprise decision to retire at the end of the year sent a seismic wave through Georgia politics by setting up two simultaneous elections for the U.S. Senate in 2020 as Democrats race to transform the state into a political battleground.

The three-term Republican said Wednesday that he will step down as he struggles with “mounting health challenges” that include Parkinson’s disease and surgery this week to remove a growth on his kidney.

“It goes against every fiber of my being to leave in the middle of my Senate term,” the 74-year-old said, “but I know it’s the right thing to do on behalf of my state.”

Gov. Brian Kemp, a fellow Republican, will appoint a replacement for Isakson who will serve through next year. The state will then hold an election in November 2020 to fill the remainder of Isakson’s term, which ends in 2022.