Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to a third term, ending a 13-year career in Congress that included service in both the House and Senate.

Daines withdrew his name just minutes before the deadline for candidates to file for the November election with the Montana secretary of state's office. In a statement confirming his decision, Daines said "It is time for new leaders" and indicated he had wrestled with the decision for months.

The two-term senator endorsed Kurt Alme, the U.S. attorney for Montana, as his successor. Alme is a former federal prosecutor and Harvard Law School graduate who served in the Trump administration.

President Trump quickly endorsed Alme for the Senate seat on Wednesday, calling him "a Highly Respected Criminal Prosecutor" from his administration. Trump praised Alme's qualifications and legal background in his endorsement statement.

Daines' retirement creates an open Republican seat in Montana as the party seeks to maintain its majority in the Senate. His departure marks the end of a congressional career that began when he was first elected to the House of Representatives before moving to the Senate.

The announcement came as a surprise given the timing, with Daines making his decision known just before the candidate filing deadline for Montana's November election.