Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced her retirement Monday, ending a four-decade long career in politics and creating a rare open seat race in Maryland.
Miklulski, 78, was first elected to the House in 1976, part of a wave of Democrats known as “Watergate babies” because they benefited from the scandal surrounding the Nixon administration. She later won a Senate seat in 1986, and cruised to re-election four subsequent times. Her current term expires in 2016.
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The Maryland Democrat made the announcement at 11 a.m. at an event at Fells Point, Md.
The senator indicated that she did want to have to invest the time and energy needed for a sixth term. “Do I spent my time raising money or raising hell to meet your day-to-day needs? Do I spend time focusing on my election or the next generation? The more I thought about it, the more the answer became really clear.”
Mikulski became the longest serving female senator in U.S. history in 2011, and the following year became the longest serving woman in the history of Congress.In 2012, she became the first woman to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, but lost the gavel this year when the Republicans gained the majority.
Shorter than 5-feet tall, she was a dogged advocate for liberal policies, particularly women’s issues like abortion rights and equal pay.
“I will know that (when I retire) I will have given it my best shot,”Mikulski said.
In a statement, President Obama said that the senator’s career “serve[d] as an inspiration to millions of women and girls across the globe to stand up and lead.”
“Barbara has wielded her gavel and used her booming voice to advocate on behalf of paycheck fairness, childcare, health care, education, women’s rights and countless issues that have contributed to the strength of America’s families,” the president said. “Michelle and I extend our warmest wishes to Barbara in her next endeavors.”
