SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Senator Mitt Romney announced on Wednesday that he will not be seeking reelection in the 2024 General Election.

Romney, who is 76 years old, said it is time for a new generation of leaders as the next generation needs to be the one to make the decisions that will face the world they live in.

“I have spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another, term, I’d be in my mid-eighties,” said Romney in a press release. Romney said he has enjoyed his work in the Senate “a good deal,” noting that the last few years have felt particularly productive.

Mitt Romney was elected to represent Utah as a United States Senator in 2018 and took office in 2019. He beat the Democratic nominee Jenny Wilson in the general election to replace the outgoing Orrin Hatch.

Throughout his time as Utah Senator, Romney helped lead and negotiate the bipartisan infrastructure law, religious liberty protections, and COVID relief funding. Most recently, Romney reintroduced a bill that would see the federal minimum wage increase from $7.25 to $11 an hour.

Romney said while he is not running for re-election, he isn’t retiring from the fight. Romney will continue to serve in the United States Senate until his term ends in January 2025, vowing to continue working on issues that advance Utah’s numerous priorities.

Romney said the country continues to face critical challenges such as mounting national debt, climate change and the “ambitious authoritarians” of Russia and China. He added criticism of the response of both President Biden and former President Trump, both of whom are running for the White House in 2024.

In a press release, Romney claimed neither Biden nor Trump are leading their respective parties to confront the nation’s challenges. Romney said both presidential candidates refuse to address entitlements despite them representing two-thirds of federal funding. Romney also criticized both on their handling of foreign powers and climate change.

According to Romney, political motivations often impede solutions to the nation’s challenges and it will be the job of the next generation of leaders to take America to the next stage of global leadership.

“I look forward to working with you and with folks across our state and nation in that endeavor,” said Romney. “It is a profound honor to serve Utah and the nation, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so.”