Dean of the Senate Announces Retirement Following More Than 33 Years of Public Service

ATLANTA (March 6, 2026) - Sen. Ed Harbison, the Dean of the Senate, announced he will retire after the 2026 legislative session.

"I am grateful to have served in the Georgia Senate for over 30 years, representing the citizens of the 15^th District. Being able to serve West Georgia as a legislator has been the greatest honor of my life," said Sen. Harbison. "I remain deeply appreciative of the friendships I've made with colleagues on both sides of the aisle over the years, and I hope that my time in the Senate can continue to inspire the courage to stand strong when our morals are tested. The hard work and collaboration that we commit to in serving our communities is why many of us come to Atlanta each spring to do the people's work, and that feeling has remained with me throughout much of my life."

Public service is not a profession for me; it is a calling. I know God will summon me to serve in some capacity after my retirement, whether through volunteer work, philanthropic efforts or community outreach. I look forward to supporting future Columbus legislators as they continue the work of the people."

Sen. Harbison was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 1992. Before serving in the Senate, he served in the United States Marine Corps, where he received the Purple Heart for his service in the Vietnam War. Throughout his more than 33 years of public service, he has been awarded the Georgia Legislative Leadership Award, the Department of Defense Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Award and the Associated Press Annual Award for Best Regularly Scheduled TV Newscast, among many other awards.

Sen. Harbison is also responsible for legislation that designated Georgia as a Purple Heart State, established a separate Veterans court, and also established the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame, an organization of which he is also a proud member.

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Sen. Ed Harbison serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on State Institutions and Property. He represents the 15^th Senate District, which includes Chattahoochee, Macon, Marion, Schley, Talbot and Taylor counties, as well as a portion of Muscogee County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0074 or by email at [email protected].

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