COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says he won’t be running for Rob Portman’s U.S. Senate seat.  

“After much consultation, thought and prayer, I’ve decided to run for re-election as Attorney General, and not the US Senate,” Yost announced in a tweet Monday morning. “I noted several years ago that I feel as if I have been preparing all my life to serve as Attorney General. I love this State, I love the work and I love the people with whom I work.”

In a news conference hours later, Yost revealed that he spoke with Portman, a fellow Republican, before making his decision. In retiring, Portman cited the difficulty in working across the aisle.

“I spoke with Senator Portman in a little more depth on his reasoning, and in his firsthand accounts, Washington just doesn’t sound like a terribly healthy place to go to work right now,” Yost said.

Yost said continuing as attorney general is where he could have more of an impact. On Monday, he announced that FirstEnergy agreed to his demand to not adjust rates based on a clause from the scandal-ridden House Bill 6. A news release from Yost said his efforts against HB6 have saved Ohioans $2 billion.

“I asked myself the question where I would have the opportunity to do the most good for the people of Ohio and the most good for the country,” he said. “I’ve concluded that it makes more sense for me to run for reelection, to focus on this job, that I have greater impact here than I could on the back bench of the United States Senate.”

Yost joins several prominent Republicans who have said they would not seek Portman’s seat, along with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, current Reps. Troy Balderson and Jim Jordan, and former Rep. Pat Tiberi.

Ohio Republican Party chairman Jane Timken said she is considering running.

On the Democratic side, potential contenders include former state health director Amy Acton, former Columbus mayor Michael Coleman, and current Dayton mayor Nan Whaley.