Sen. Carl Levin won't seek re-election next year, the six-term Senate stalwart and Democrat said Thursday. The 78-year-old Michigander, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, is one of the Senate's most senior Democrats. "No one has worked harder to bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores, close unfair tax loopholes, and ensure that everyone plays by the same set of rules," President Barack Obama said in a statement Thursday, calling Levin "a true champion for all those who serve." Levin called the decision "extremely difficult" but said he and his wife had together decided that he could best serve his state by legislating "without the distraction of campaigning for re-election." Levin's seat is expected to remain in Democratic hands after he steps down. After Carl Levin's retirement, however, some Michiganders will still be left with one Levin representing them in Congress; the senator's older brother Sander is a long-time congressman.
