Authors: Joshua Cohan
Jason Kempin/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Sen. Frank Lautenberg will not seek re-election in 2014.
The longtime Democratic senator from New Jersey made the announcement on Thursday.
“This is not the end of anything,” Lautenberg, 89, said in a statement, “but rather the beginning of a two-year mission to pass new gun safety laws, protect children from toxic chemicals, and create more opportunities for working families in New Jersey."
“While I may not be seeking re-election, there is plenty of work to do before the end of this term and I'm going to keep fighting as hard as ever for the people of New Jersey in the U.S. Senate,” he said.
Lautenberg would have been 90 years old at the time of his re-election. His decision to leave comes after Newark Mayor Cory Booker indicated he would likely challenge Lautenberg in a Democratic primary.
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