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Patrick Leahy, longest serving US senator still in office, will not seek re-election


“While I will continue to serve Vermont, Marcelle and I have come to the conclusion: it’s time to put down,” Leahy said, referring to his wife. “Time to pass the torch to the next Vermonter, who will continue this work for our great state. Time to go home.”

“I will not run for re-election,” he added.

Leahy made his announcement at the Vermont State House, where he announced his first Senate campaign in 1974.

Leahy, 81, is the fourth longest serving senator in US history. An ardently supportive Senate president, he is currently third in line to the presidential line of succession, behind the vice president and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Leahy was the first and still the only Democrat to represent her home state in the US Senate, although her US counterpart for the state was Bernie Sanders, an independent who voted. closed to the Democratic Party.

Congress returns on Monday with government funding, debt ceiling, economic bill set

Democrats have an extremely narrow margin to control the Senate, and Republicans only need to win one seat in the midterm next year to regain control of the House. Republicans in recent years have won statewide office, including the state’s current governor, Phil Scott. Still, Joe Biden won nearly two-thirds of the vote there in 2020.

Scott’s press secretary Jason Maulucci told CNN, “Governor Scott has made it clear that he won’t run for the US Senate next year. That doesn’t change.”

Democratic Representative Peter Welch, a major member of the House, released a statement announcing his retirement, writing, “No one has served Vermont so faithfully, continuously, honestly, and fiercely as Patrick has. .”

Leahy is the sixth senator and first Democrat to announce that they will not seek another term. Overall, Republicans will defend 20 Senate seats and Democrats will defend 14 seats in 2022.

In her speech on Monday, Leahy touted the work of her long career, setting national standards for food labeled “organic”, attempting to ban the export of such products. mine land, endorse liberal judges and send billions of dollars to his small home state, including to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

He also talks about his work in providing healthy school lunches and creating nutrition programs for infants and children, as well as ensuring the conservation of thousands of acres of farmland and forests. in his state and across the United States.

They are over 80 years old.  They are in charge.  They will not disappear.

One of Leahy’s most historic roles came earlier this year when he presided over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump for a second time on behalf of Chief Justice John Roberts, who chose not to oversee the proceedings because of Trump. no longer in office.

Born in Montpelier, Vermont, on March 31, 1940, Leahy graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 1961 and Georgetown University Law Center in 1964. He was elected to the Senate just 10 years later, making him a became the youngest U.S. senator ever elected from Vermont. .

Before joining Congress, he served as state attorney in Vermont from 1966-1974.

This year Leahy also became chair of the prestigious Appropriations Committee. Previously, he chaired the Judiciary Committee and oversaw the confirmations of judges Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Leahy also led the Agriculture Committee in the late 80s and early 90s.

This story was updated with additional developments on Monday.

CNN’s Paul LeBlanc and Ethan Cohen contributed to this report.

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