Sen. Tommie Williams will not seek re-election as president pro tempore.

Williams announced his decision to his fellow senators in a letter Monday, saying he is stepping aside to give others a chance to serve and lead. He also says he wants to spend more time with his wife and three children. He will continue to seek re-election for his Senate seat.

Williams was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 1998, and has served as the chamber's second-highest-ranking official since 2009.

The Lyons Republican has presided over a tumultuous era in the Senate that saw power stripped from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and divided among a nine-member committee. Williams says the chamber's struggles over the past two years have "been stressful," but that "liberty almost always requires a struggle."

Tags: Republican, Senator Tommie Williams, president pro tempore