One of the longest serving Republican senators and former Navy secretary John Warner announced he will not run for a sixth term.

Warner, 80, represented the state of Virginia in the United States Senate for almost three decades and considered it’s time to stand down in January 2009. He made the announcement Friday at the University of Virginia.

“I have tried to be not only true to myself, but true to the people of this great commonwealth I've served for 29 years now,” the prominent member of the Grand Old Party said.

Warner was a strong ally of US President George W Bush when the Iraq campaign began in 2003, but the senator’s stance changed radically in the past period. The World War II veteran began questioning the policy, all culminating with a request addressed to Bush last week to begin withdrawing the troops until the end of 2007.

“The situation in Iraq and Afghanistan occupies the major portion of my thinking every day of my life,” Warner said.

Even so, Bush praised Warner for his work and verticality in a written statement, saying he “is a true statesman.”

“With Senator Warner's retirement, the Senate will lose one of its most independent and widely respected voices and the Commonwealth of Virginia will lose one of its fiercest advocates,” the White house leader said.

The reputed politician served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as senior senator from Virginia since 1978. At that time he was married with famous actress Elizabeth Taylor, the two divorcing four years later.