The bombshell news that Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe will retire with four years remaining in his current term means that Oklahomans will be voting to fill both U.S. Senate seats in November.

“It is bittersweet, but with a clear heart, that [wife] Kay and I announce that at the end of the year, I will retire from the U.S. Senate,” Inhofe said in a statement released at noon Friday.

“When our journey of service to Oklahoma started with my first political campaign in 1967, we never expected that the road the Lord would lead us down would take us from the Oklahoma legislature, to being Mayor of Tulsa, to the House of Representatives, and, finally, to the U.S. Senate where I was privileged to lead the committees that best serve Oklahomans.”

Inhofe’s most visible role recently has been as ranking member of the Senate Armed Service’s Committee, where he issued a statement last week criticizing Russia’s “shocking and devastating” invasion of Ukraine as a “massive, shameful breach of international protocol.”

But he also is a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, where he’s been an unwavering advocate of maintaining America’s energy independence by promoting fossil fuel exploration and production.

Announcing his resignation by March 1 allows voters to choose In-hofe’s replacement in a special election in November, when Oklahoma’s other U.S. Senate seat, currently held by James Lankford, also will be on the ballot.

An announcement after March 1 would have allowed Gov. Kevin Stitt to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of Inhofe’s current term.

In an article published Friday in the Oklahoman, Inhofe endorsed his chief of staff, Luke Holland, as his replacement and pledged to campaign for him, but a number of other contenders also have expressed interest.

Former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon, who lost a 2014 U.S. Senate bid, and current Oklahoma congressmen Kevin Hern of Tulsa and Markwayne Mullin of Westville are among them.

Stitt was named in some national media stories as another possible candidate, but he told the Oklahoman that he won’t be running, choosing instead to seek a second term as governor in November’s election.

Most political analysts expect the race to be all but decided in what is likely to be a hotly-contested Republican primary in June. Given the state’s stout GOP majority, no pundits expect the seat is likely to be won by a Democrat.

Filing begins April 13.

In a letter to Oklahoma Secretary of State Brian Bingman, Inhofe said his retirement will be effective Jan. 3, 2023, the date his successor would be seated.

“Today’s announcement is not the end of the road. I have work yet to do for Oklahomans over these next nine months, including passing the National Defense Authorization Act and holding the Biden administration accountable,” Inhofe said Friday.

“Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with your vote over these many years. It has been an honor to serve you in the Senate.

“May God bless you and God bless Oklahoma.”