Gov. Brewer on Kyl's announcement

Statement from Governor Brewer regarding announcement that Senator Kyl will not seek re-election

“Senator Kyl has been a good and faithful servant to the people of Arizona and a beacon of conservative leadership for more than two decades. His poise, grace and good sense will be difficult to replace, and his presence will be missed both locally and among his peers in Congress.

“As sorry as I am that Arizona is losing his political guidance, I’m happy that he and his wife, Caryll, will have this opportunity to enter the next phase of their lives together. Political service entails personal sacrifice, so Senator Kyl and his wife have certainly earned this time to spend with their children and grandchildren.

“The Senator has nearly two years remaining in office, and I’m confident he’ll use this time to continue Arizona’s fight for border security and against federal overreach. He has left a model of conservative leadership for his successor to follow.

“You can bet that I’ll be following the 2012 race closely as it has serious ramifications for Arizona. I will not, however, involve myself in this contest as a candidate. Arizona faces serious issues and needs a full-time governor, and I intend to see this state’s recovery to completion.”