Senator Jesse Helms, the ornery conservative who tormented liberals in the US Congress for most of the past three decades, announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election next year.
The five-term Republican, who was a fierce critic of UN and US entanglements abroad, cited his age in his decision. He is 79.
"I would be 88 if I ran again in 2002 and was elected and lived to finish a sixth term," he said. "This, my family and I decided, I should not do and shall not."
The remarks were played on the evening newscast of WRAL-TV, the station where Helms' fiery editorials helped build support for his first election to the Senate in 1972.
Helms invoked the memory of Senator Sam Ervin, a Democrat who represented North Carolina in the 1950s, '60s and early '70s, quoting Ervin's remarks on his own age when he left public life. He noted he will have served 30 years in the Senate when his term ends in 2003.
"Not in my wildest imagination did it occur to me that such a privilege would ever be mine," Helms said, his voice breaking slightly near the end of his 10-minute speech.
"Thank you dear friends, God bless you, and as Ron Reagan always used to say, God bless America," he said.
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