Complex sentence: In 1998, incumbent US Senator from Missouri John Ashcroft (R) briefly considered running for president but on January 5,1999, he announced that he would not seek the presidency and would instead defend his Senate seat in the 2000 election.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1998, incumbent US Senator from Missouri John Ashcroft (R) briefly considered running for president. On January 5,1999, he announced that he would not seek the presidency and would instead defend his Senate seat in the 2000 election.