A veteran Republican legislator resigned from the state Senate on Monday. 

State Sen. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck, said in a letter to Senate leader Phil Berger that he’s resigning to pursue new opportunities. The letter, sent Monday morning, didn’t specify what those opportunities were. Hanig didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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“This decision was not made lightly,” Hanig said in the letter. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of North Carolina, particularly northeastern North Carolina.” 

Hanig, a former Currituck County commissioner, first joined the legislature in 2019 after defeating former state Rep. Beverly Boswell in the Republican primary and Democrat Tess Judge in the 2018 midterms. 

Hanig also said on social media that he is retiring from the General Assembly. “This morning at 9 AM I will be officially retired from the North Carolina General Assembly,” Hanig posted on social media.

Hanig won his state Senate seat in 2022 and then ran for the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year, losing the GOP primary to Laurie Buckhout in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. Hanig ran on his support for local fishermen: Last year, he led protests against a proposed ban on inland shrimp trawling. Hanig finished third in the primary, with 16% of the vote.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with so many great Americans in North Carolina that truly do care about this great state and this great country,” Hanig said in his social media post.  “… I can assure you that, even though I am stepping down from my official capacity, I will continue fighting for eastern North Carolina values, beliefs,and our heritage.”

A spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said Hanig’s resignation isn’t expected to affect any votes in the chamber. Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate and Republican officials in Hanig’s district are expected to appoint his replacement. The General Assembly isn’t expected to return to Raleigh until November. 

The district sprawls across Bertie, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Tyrrell counties. 

Republican Jerry Tillett and Democrat Melissa Zehner are running for Hanig’s seat in the November election.