Rep. John James (R-MI) has filed for reelection in the House, opting not to seek a bid to replace the retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in the Senate.

James filed paperwork to run for reelection on Friday, putting speculation to rest that the Michigan lawmaker and rising star in the Republican Party may be considering another Senate bid in 2024. James previously mounted two unsuccessful Senate bids, losing to Stabenow in 2018 and Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in 2020.

CALLING IT QUITS: WAVE OF DEMOCRATIC RETIREMENTS COULD GIFT SENATE MAJORITY TO GOP IN 2024

Those two bids granted James national name recognition and boosted him to win his House seat during last year’s midterm elections, making him Michigan’s first black Republican member of Congress.

James’s decision not to enter the race leaves Republicans searching for a candidate, as Stabenow’s retirement opens up a critical Senate seat that gives hope to the GOP as they seek to gain control of the Senate. Democrats are expected to face a challenging election cycle in 2024 as the party will have to defend 23 Senate seats, compared to just 11 for Republicans. Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority in the upper chamber.

Stabenow announced she would not seek reelection in early January, becoming the first Democratic incumbent senator to announce her retirement for the next election cycle.

Only one candidate has announced their intent to run for the open seat: Nikki Snyder, a member of the Republican State Board of Education. However, a high-profile candidate has yet to enter the race for either party.

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Former Rep. Peter Meijer is reportedly considering a run for Senate following a loss in the GOP primary last year after he voted to impeach former President Donald Trump in 2021.

A slew of Democrats are also considered top contenders, such as Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Debbie Dingell, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist.