Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn., saying he wanted to "pass the baton to the next generation," announced on Friday he will retire when his term ends this year, The Hill is reporting.
"With deep appreciation and thanks for allowing me to represent you in the Congress of the United States, I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for re-election, and will retire at the end of the current term," Nolan said.
Nolan, 74, vowed to "finish strong" in the months ahead, the StarTribune newspaper reported.
"Despite the fact that our nation is being challenged by some rather troubling politics, let's remember that our Founders foresaw difficult times and gave us the tools to see them through," he said.
"Our Constitution is strong, our people are resilient, and the elections of 2018, 2020 and beyond provide continuing opportunities for progress, reform and necessary change."
Meanwhile, The Hill noted Nolan's retirement provides a big boost to Republicans, who have been targeting his seat. Nolan had won re-election in 2016 even as Donald Trump captured the district by more than 15 points.
The top Republican candidate in the race is Pete Stauber, a former police officer and one-time professional hockey player, who has raised $256,000 and has $136,600 on hand, according to The Hill.