GOP Rep. John Linder of Georgia Retiring

U.S. Rep. John Linder has announced he will retire from Congress after 18 years.

The Republican from Gwinnett County made the announcement Saturday at the dedication of a new Gwinnett County GOP headquarters. Linder aide Derick Corbett told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Linder would not be seeking re-election.

Gwinnett GOP manager David Hancock told the newspaper the announcement, which came at the end of brief speech by Linder, caught attendees off-guard.

Linder was one of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's top lieutenants, and most recently has been an advocate for a sales tax to replace the federal income tax.