Isakson announced he would be resigning from his Senate seat at the end of the year.

Isakson announced he would be resigning from his Senate seat at the end of the year. / AP

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s surprise resignation has led to praise and thanks from people and groups on both sides of the aisle.   

Isakson made the announcement Wednesday morning citing health problems.   

Related: Johnny Isakson Announces Plans To Resign From U.S. Senate At End Of 2019

He will step down at the end of the year. Now, Gov. Brian Kemp will be tasked with appointing his replacement, who will step in after Isakson leaves.

Kemp praised Isakson following the announcement. 

“No one embodies the heart and soul of Georgia more than Johnny Isakson," he said in a statement. “Our state and country have been immeasurably blessed by his leadership in the Georgia General Assembly, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate.”

Kemp said he would appoint Isakson’s replacement at the appropriate time. His replacement would then have to win the seat in the November election. 

“A True Statesman” 

Reaction from other Georgia elected officials continued to thank Isakson for his contributions through more than four decades of public service. 

Republican Sen. David Perdue called Isakson a “true statesman” in a statement released by his office. 

"When Johnny Isakson speaks, people listen," Perdue said in a statement. "Together, we were able to get real results for Georgia. Throughout his four decades of service, Johnny has always been a champion for the people of Georgia."

Isakson became the first Georgia Republican to be elected to a third term in the U.S. Senate when he won his latest election. House Speaker David Ralston said he respects the senator’s decision to step down but is still saddened by it.

“The loss of Johnny Isakson from public life will leave a void in Georgia which is beyond comprehension,” Ralston said. “Over his career, he demonstrated that civility and reasonableness are virtues that will never go out of style.” 

Vice President Mike Pence joined the chorus of politicans praising Isakson's career taking to twitter to call him an "incredible public servant."

The National Republican Senate Committee also issued a statement of support for the senator.

“Johnny Isakson has been a steadfast conservative leader who has served Georgians with the highest integrity and distinction in the U.S. Senate,” NRSC chairman Sen. Todd Young said. “We look forward to the men and women of Georgia electing another strong Republican leader in 2020 alongside David Perdue.” 

2020 Races

But the decision has political ramifications beyond Kemp’s new appointee. It means all Georgia congressional seats will be open for the November 2020 election, which the newly appointed senator will have to run for. 

Attention following the announcement shifted to Stacey Abrams, who stated earlier this year she wouldn’t run for a senate seat after her failed campaign for governor. Asked whether Isakson’s resignation would change her thinking, a spokesperson said her focus will not change. 

“She will lead voter protection efforts in key states across the country and make sure Democrats are successful in Georgia in 2020,” Seth Bringman, a spokesman for Abrams, said in an emailed statement. “While she will not be a candidate herself, she is committed to helping Democratic candidates with both Senate races next year.”

The Democratic Party of Georgia echoed her sentiments. 

“We thank Senator Isakson for his years of service to his state and country and wish him all the best for his future,” the party’s chair Nikema Williams said in a statement but attention is still focused on next year. “With now two Senate seats up for election in 2020, it has never been clearer that the path for Democratic victory runs through Georgia.”

Williams also called Georgia a battleground state, which Democrats believe they will be able to flip in the next election.

That includes Senate hopeful Ted Terry, who is also the mayor of Clarkston. He reiterated on Twitter Wednesday that his focus was still aimed at Sen. David Perdue — not Isakson’s seat.

Political Career

Isakson’s roots run deep in the state. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1966 and served in the state’s Air National Guard for six years from 1966 through 1972. Isakson serves as the chair of Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and has since 2015.

He championed veterans during his time in office and helped pass what’s known as the VA MISSION Act, which helped improve the healthcare delivery system.

Earlier this year, he made headlines after defending the late Sen. John McCain. Trump had attacked the McCain on Twitter with remarks that Isakson called “deplorable.”

Related: Sen. Isakson Rebukes Trump’s Attacks On Late Sen. McCain

Isakson also served as chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and is a member of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. 

Earlier this year, Isakson fractured four ribs in a fall at his Washington D.C. apartment. Just this week, he had a renal cell carcinoma mass removed from one of his kidneys. The 74-year-old was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013.

During his last election, he won with 54 percent of the vote and is the only elected official in Georgia to serve in both the state and U.S. House and Senate.

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