Lautenberg Announces That He Will Not Seek Reelection

The Star Ledger is reporting that U.S Senator Frank Lautenberg will not be seeking reelection in 2014. I suppose that the latest poll from Monmouth University that shows Cory Booker with a 15 point  lead over Frank Lautenberger may have had something to do with his decision not to seek reelection :

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a pugnacious and plain-spoken Democrat who has represented New Jersey for three decades, will not seek re-election to a sixth term next year.

“I am not announcing the end of anything. I am announcing the beginning of a two-year mission to pass new gun safety laws, protect children from toxic chemicals and create more opportunities for working families in New Jersey,” Lautenberg told The Star-Ledger. “While I may not be seeking re-election, there is plenty of work to do before the end of this term and I'm going to keep fighting as hard as ever for the people of New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.”

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg waits for an elevator in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. today following a Democratic leadership luncheon. Lautenberg has decided he will not seek re-election in 2014.

The decision by Lautenberg, 89, who has been giving mixed signals for months, marks the end of a political era in New Jersey and one that is likely to set off a fierce primary battle as Democrats, including Newark Mayor Cory Booker, jockey for the rare open seat.

Lautenberg, who was a successful businessman, has been one of the Senate's most strident liberal voices over an approximately 30-year career, parrying with Democrats and Republicans alike on a broad array of domestic issues.

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