Washington's lieutenant governor says he won't seek reelection, will join priesthood

Washington Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib announced Thursday that he will not run for reelection and will instead join the Jesuit order of the Catholic Church to begin the process of becoming a priest.

Habib, 38, the state's first blind lieutenant governor, has served in the position since 2017 after serving in the state House and Senate.

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"Over the past couple of years, I have felt called to a different vocation, albeit one that is also oriented around service and social justice,” he wrote in an essay for the magazine "America: The Jesuit Review."

“I have felt a calling to dedicate my life in a more direct and personal way to serving the marginalized, empowering the vulnerable, healing those who suffer from spiritual wounds and accompanying those discerning their own futures.”

Habib, a three-time cancer survivor, became blind at 8 years old and went on to become a Rhodes Scholar and an editor of the law review at Yale before becoming an attorney. As lieutenant governor, he serves as president of the Senate and presides over the chamber during legislative sessions.

In his essay, Habib said Jesuits are known "for their dedication to education, particularly higher education, for their philosophy of finding God in all people."

"At this point, it is too early for me to know where my life as a Jesuit will take me, but I am confident that it will involve teaching, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, advocacy and spiritual accompaniment,” Habib wrote.

Gov. Jay Inslee called Habib’s life and career “an inspiration to many.”

“While the news was unexpected, anyone who knows Cyrus is not surprised by his commitment to faith,” Inslee said in a statement. “I have no doubt his future in the Jesuit priesthood will bring much good to a world that needs it right now”.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.