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Sen. Mike Johanns waits for the beginning of a news conference in this file photo.
That’s how many senators in the 113th Congress are former governors.
Mike Johanns, Nebraska’s Republican governor from 1999 to 2005, the U.S. agriculture secretary from 2005 to 2007 and a senator since 2009, announced yesterday that he wouldn’t seek a second Senate term next year. Johanns, 62, announced earlier this month that he would back Chuck Hagel, his Senate predecessor, for defense secretary.
Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, also is retiring at the end of 2014. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, and Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, are up for re-election.
The other senators are Republican John Hoeven of North Dakota and Democrats Tom Carper of Delaware, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Independent Angus King caucuses with the Democrats.
