(MPRN) U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow announced Thursday she will not seek a fifth six-year term. Instead, she will cap a career that included serving on the Ingham County Commission, the state Legislature, and the US House before landing in the Senate.
Stabenow has been a senator since 2001. She told WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids that this is a good time for her to “pass the torch.”
Stabenow said she began her career when barriers were much higher for women in politics.
“It wasn’t about going through open doors. It was, frankly, about busting down the doors and so, I hope those doors, and I think we’ve seen, they’re now open. I hope I’ve made a meaningful difference in that," she said.
Stabenow told WXYZ-TV in Detroit that she will work to help make sure another Democrat replaces her in what’s expected to be a competitive race.
“On the political front, going to be very involved in making sure that we’re in a strong position to keep Michigan blue, and I’m confident we can do that I will certainly, whoever our nominee is, I will be locking arms with them to support them," she said.
Stabenow chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Her work in the Senate has focused on nutrition, mental health services and the state’s manufacturing sector.