Sen. Barbara Boxer is retiring.
The California Democrat, who has been in office since 1993, announced Thursday via YouTube that she will not seek a fourth term in 2016.
“I want to come home,” Boxer, 74, said in the video with her grandson, Zach.
Boxer reiterated that neither her age nor the disagreements within the Senate played a part in her decision.
“I’m going to continue working on the issues that I love,” Boxer said. “I’ll have more time to help other people through my PAC for Change community, I have to make sure the Senate seat stays progressive — that is so critical — and I want to help our Democratic candidate for president make history. But you know what? I want to come home.”
Boxer also said in the video that during her time in Congress, she was most proud of her vote against the war in Iraq.
Speculation of her retirement has been building since September, when it was revealed she had less than $200,000 in her campaign account — compared to $3.5 million in fall 2013.
Her retirement will set up the first race for an open Senate seat in California since 1992, when she was elected. It will also leave open the top Democratic spot on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which she chaired in the last Congress.
Prior to her time in the Senate, she served in the House of Representatives for a decade.
In her weekly press conference with press Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., praised Boxer upon news of her retirement, before getting emotional.
“She is one of the most unselfish politicians I’ve ever known of,” Pelosi said. “She has always shared her ideas, she has always shared the credit, always tried to help people to succeed with their ideas.Her leaving will be a great loss to the Congress of the United States.”
Only four other women in history have had a longer Congressional tenure than Boxer: Sens. Barbara Mikulski, Olympia Snowe, Edith Nourse Rogers and Margaret Chase Smith.
