There are few things in American life more satisfying than watching someone with immense power discover they actually hate the job.
Enter Jon Kyl, the Arizona Republican who got appointed to the Senate in 2018 to fill John McCain's seat, showed up for roughly ten minutes, and then peaced out before Thanksgiving.
Kyl had already retired from the Senate back in 2012 after three terms, presumably to enjoy golf and the sweet embrace of not being yelled at by constituents.
But when McCain died, Governor Doug Ducey needed a warm body with name recognition and zero learning curve, so he dialed up Kyl like a guy calling his ex at 2 a.m.
Then he said yes again when the 2018 midterms wrapped and Ducey wanted him to keep the seat warm for Martha McSally.
And then, two weeks into that second stint, Kyl was like, actually, no thanks, I'd rather do literally anything else.
To be fair, he cited "personal reasons," which in politician-speak covers everything from a sick dog to a sudden realization that the Senate cafeteria still serves that same sad salmon.
If anyone has earned the right to look at C-SPAN and say "not my circus, not my monkeys," it's him.
What makes this so weirdly beloved is the sheer honesty of it.
Politicians are supposed to claw for power until the grave, and here's a guy who treated a Senate seat like a gym membership he bought in January and abandoned by February.
The internet, naturally, had a field day.
People on both sides found something weirdly refreshing about a public figure who looked at one of the most exclusive clubs on earth and decided the vibes were off.
In an era where everyone's grinding for a promotion they'll complain about forever, Kyl became an accidental folk hero for quitting with dignity.
No scandal, no screaming resignation letter, no book deal about the swamp.
He just quietly noped out, which is somehow more relatable than any farewell speech ever delivered on the Senate floor.
Final Thoughts
The closing take: Kyl may not have given Arizona much legislating, but he gave America a rare gift, a politician who knew when to go home.