DETROIT – Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence has formally announced that she will not seek reelection to Congress.
“This year marks my 30th year in elected public office and I’ve had the good fortune of serving Michiganders on the local and national level,” Lawrence said in a Tweet. “After reflecting on my journey and having conversations with my family, I’m announcing that I will not be seeking reelection to Congress.”
You can read her full statement below, or watch it in the video above.
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A transcript of her video message can be read below:
“Hello. I’m Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence. This year marks my 30th year in elected public service. From the Southfield Public Schools Board of Education to the Southfield City Council and then being elected as the first woman and first African American mayor to the great City of Southfield to now serving as a Member of Congress in my 8th year, I’ve had the good fortune of serving the people of Michigan on the local and national levels. Today, after reflecting on my journey—and oh my goodness what a journey—and having conversations with my family, I am announcing that I will not be seeking re-election to Congress. I’m incredibly grateful for the people of Michigan’s 14th Congressional District who have placed their trust and vote in me—in me, just a little Black girl from the eastside of Detroit, you made me your Congresswoman. It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to be your voice in Congress and to fight for our communities and issues in Washington, DC on a national platform. While I am not seeking re-election, my journey is far from over. There is so much work that needs to be done. I will still be your Congresswoman for rest of this year, and you can rest assured, I will keep fighting to pass laws to protect our voting rights, women’s rights; and to protect our environment. I will continue to fight to educate our children and to provide security and dignity for our seniors.
“As we have a new redistricting map, a new generation of leaders will step up. We need to make sure our elected officials, in Michigan and across this country, look like our communities. It is not lost on me that I’m currently the only Black member of the Michigan Congressional Delegation—in both the U.S. House and Senate. So, whether it’s in the halls of Congress, city halls, or local school boards, representation matters.
“As I turn the page on my life, I want to say thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the United States House of Representatives. Whether you need help with casework or getting federal funding, I am still here for you, I still have your back, and as my good friend the late-great John Lewis said, I am still getting into good trouble. I am not sure what’s next for me will be or page, but I guarantee you that service—and service to my community, service to my country—will be the guiding light for me, as it always has been. I want to say thank you. I want to say may God bless our communities and may God bless America.”
Reaction to news of Lawrence’s decision not to seek reelection
Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell released the following statement: