WASHINGTON — Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker said Tuesday he will retire at the end of 2018.

“After much thought, consideration and family discussion over the past year, Elizabeth and I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires at the end of 2018,” Corker said in a released statement.

Corker is the Senate’s foreign relations committee chairman and had told CNN earlier this month that he was considering whether to run again.

“When I ran for the Senate in 2006, I told people that I couldn’t imagine serving for more than two terms,” Corker said in his statement Tuesday. “Understandably, as we have gained influence, that decision has become more difficult. But I have always been drawn to the citizen legislator model, and while I realize it is not for everyone, I believe with the kind of service I provide, it is the right one for me.”

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