WASHINGTON — It is official: you can cross Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger off the list of potential Senate candidates in Maryland.
On Tuesday, the Democrat from Timonium announced that he will run for re-election to his 2nd District House seat rather than seek the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2016. The veteran congressman — who represents parts of Baltimore City, as well as portions of Anne Arundel, Howard, Harford and Baltimore Counties — will be running for his eighth term.
After pondering a Senate bid, Ruppersberger said in a statement that he had decided it would be best to serve in the House to continue focusing on veterans and seniors issues, as well as legislation to create jobs. He added that it was important to have “a strong Maryland presence” on the House Appropriations Committee to ensure that adequate federal money gets to his home state.
“Washington needs more legislators who put common sense before politics,” Ruppersberger said in his statement. “This is especially true as we prepare to confront critical decisions on our nation’s economy, the future of Social Security and Medicare and our desperate need to improve the nation’s infrastructure as well as create jobs.”
Another Baltimore-area Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Elijah Cummings, is considering a Senate bid. However, he has not yet made an official announcement.
Maryland lawmakers who are officially running for Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s seat are Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Fort Washington, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Kensington.
Mikulski, who has held her seat as senator since 1987, announced in March that she would not seek re-election.