Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, insisted his surprise announcement to leave Congress next year means he will not "run for anything" – though he conceded Tuesday he might actually miss the contentious parts of political life.
His decision to quit politics was all about his family, Chaffetz told Fox News' "Your World"
"I enjoy the work, I like the issues we're tackling . . . but I love my family more," he said, dismissing talk of his interest in a Senate run.
"I'm not going to run for anything," he said, adding: "I think if I wanted to run, I'd be very competitive [in a Senate race]. My family is more important, and I love them more than I love being a member of Congress or member of the Senate."
He bemoaned the "1,500 nights away" from his family his congressional work demanded, saying, "I don't know that I want to do that anymore . . . maybe some day."
"You gotta reevaluate your life when you sleep in a cot in your office and you just turned 50," he told Cavuto.
He did admit, however, he might miss the contentious debates in Congress.
"I actually love that; I'm worried I'm going to miss that part of it," he said. "I was a placekicker in college, I'm used to being in the heat of the spotlight . . . I thrive in that setting."
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