Republican state Representative Charles Sargent, the chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee, said he won't seek another term in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Sargent said he has planned to retire at the end of his 11th two-year term because of health concerns. The 72-year-old insurance agent from Franklin said he's dealt with skin cancer in the past and that he has recently been diagnosed with a related condition.
Sargent, a New York native, was first elected to the House in 1996. As finance chairman he has played a key role in crafting the state's $37 billion budget.
Sargent survived a primary challenge by just 256 votes in 2014 after being targeted by gun rights activists. Two years later, he beat the same challenger by 35 percentage points.
