LANSING – Longtime Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow says she will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of her term in January of 2025.
Stabenow announced the news in a press release Thursday morning:
“Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate. I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025.”
Stabenow took office in 2001, and previously served in local and state government, including the U.S. House and Michigan Senate.
Stabenow, 72, is originally from Clare, Michigan, and was Michigan’s first female U.S. Senator as a Democrat defeating Spencer Abraham in the 2000 election.
Here’s the rest of her statement:
“When I ran for the State Legislature in 1978, there were only eight women serving in the State House and none in the State Senate or top statewide offices. This year there are 44 women serving in the State House and 15 in the Senate! Women hold the top three statewide elected offices, and we have the first female Majority Leader in the State Senate!
“Under the cloud of unprecedented threats to our democracy and our basic freedoms, a record-breaking number of people voted last year in Michigan. Young people showed up like never before. This was a very hopeful sign for our future.
“I am ‘Made in Michigan.’ My work is deeply rooted in my love of our wonderful state. Whether protecting our Great Lakes, transforming mental health services, or ensuring our state can continue to make things and grow things to be competitive in our world economy, I am proud that my accomplishments have made a difference in people’s lives and created a strong foundation for a healthy and prosperous future for our state.
“For the next two years, I am intensely focused on continuing this important work to improve the lives of Michiganders. This includes leading the passage of the next five-year Farm Bill which determines our nation’s food and agriculture policies. It is also key in protecting our land and water and creating jobs in our rural and urban communities.
“I am so grateful for the trust the people of Michigan have placed in me. I am also deeply grateful to my incredible staff, who are the best team in the United States Senate. They continue to set the highest standards for service in Michigan and across our country.
“When my term ends, I intend to begin a new chapter in my life that includes continuing to serve our State outside of elected office while spending precious time with my amazing 96-year-old mom and my wonderful family.”