Come November, the longest-tenured sitting state senator in the U.S. will no longer reside in Lexington County.

Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington), who was first elected in 1977, revealed earlier this week that he won’t seek another term representing District 26, which includes Cayce, West Columbia, Swansea and other parts of the counties of Lexington, Richland, Aiken and Calhoun.

“I love what I do. I could do it to the day I die, but that's not what needs to happen,” he told the Chronicle.

He reflected on his decision to step away from the Senate at 78 on the night he accepted the 2024 Riley-Wilkins Legislative Leadership Award Jan. 10, a day after his departure was revealed in an op-ed published by The State newspaper.

“God has blessed me, and the people in Senate District 26 have supported me for 48 years,” Setzler said ahead of the award presentation at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. “One of the traits of a good leader is knowing when to let somebody else lead.”

Setzler has proven a steadfast Democratic presence in the Statehouse, keeping his seat and maintaining his party allegiance as Democrats went from holding an overwhelming majority in the Senate to now being doubled up 30-15 by Republicans.

Beyond that dedication to party, he has been a prominent figure in the Legislature, serving as Senate minority leader from 2012 to 2020.

Setzler was presented his award by former U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, who reflected on the 25 years he and Setzler served together in the state Legislature, joking about how back then, they each had a full head of hair.

“Nikki Setzler’s adult life has been about serving the people of this state and making their lives better. This year marks Senator Setzler’s 48th year in the South Carolina Senate,” Wilkins said. “48 years of dedicated service. That's a lot of phone calls. That’s a lot of meetings. That’s a lot of votes. That’s a lot of decisions. That's a lot of elections. And that’s a whole lot of effort and dedication. Almost half a century serving others making a difference in and having an impact on the lives of countless South Crolinians.”

Wilkins added that the timing of this award is much more meaningful as it follows Setzler’s retirement announcement.

Setzler told the Chronicle that he had no idea he was the longest-tenured state senator in office until he received a phone call telling him so, adding that finding out was a tremendous honor and privilege.

If he had chosen to seek reelection and reclaim his seat come November, recent redistricting would have had him sharing a district with state Sen. Dick Harpootlian (D- Richland), but Setzler said the possibility of facing a primary election against another sitting Democrat played no role in his decision to retire.

During his last session, Setzler told the Chronicle that the Senate will continue to do what they always do, support public education, infrastructure, interstate and highway widening projects, including the ongoing effort to untangle Columbia’s “Malfunction Junction.” He also looked forward to focusing on creating jobs and opportunities for residents and conserving natural resources.

Setzler looked back on running for Senate 12 times, with 11 of those races coming against opposition. This will be the first election year since he joined the Legislature that he doesn’t have the pressure of running to keep his seat.

For his part, though, Setzler said re-election has never been an issue.

“I'm gonna retire from elected public office,” he said. “I am not going to retire from being active in the community and in the state and helping people because that’s a calling I have is to help people, and I will continue to practice law.”