Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., holds a piece of glass which he carries with him, as members share their recollections on the first anniversary of the assault on the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2022. Kildee announced this week he won't seek re-election. File Photo by Mandel Ngan/UPI |
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Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Dan Kildee, D-Mich, has announced he is not seeking re-election.
"I was first elected to public office when I was 18 years old," Kildee wrote in a statement announcing his intentions. "Nearly five decades later, I continue to love public service and the work I do every day. For most of this year, I saw myself continuing to serve and was actively planning another campaign. But there are times in all our lives that make you reassess your own future and path. For me, being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year was one of those moments. Thankfully, earlier this year I had successful surgery and I'm cancer-free," he continued.
Kildee said the cancer diagnosis and treatment caused him introspection and after spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren, he decided it was time to step back from public office. He said the decision was not easy but was the right one.
"I am confident that Michigan will re-elect President [Joe] Biden, entrust Democrats with legislative majorities and elect a Democrat to serve Michigan's Eighth District after I retire from Congress," he wrote.." And while my name will not be on the ballot next November, I will be doing everything I can to help elect common sense, principled and results-oriented leaders."
Kildee underwent surgery to remove a small tumor from his tonsil in April, just weeks after he was diagnosed with skin cancer. He announced that he had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, "a serious but curable form of cancer."
Kildee was the latest in a series of Democratic House representatives to announce battles against cancer, with Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland stating late last year that he had been diagnosed with diffuse large B cell Lymphoma.
In late February, Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas said he successfully underwent surgery to remove tumors from his gastrointestinal tract.
Kildee represents Michigan's 8th Congressional District, including his hometown of Flint and surrounding communities.
Kildee was vocal when Flint needed help during its lead water pipe crisis and worked across party lines to reach bipartisan support. He also pointed to his record on helping lower prescription drug costs, advocating for the release of political prisoners in Iran and on working on key legislation to improve dated infrastructure across the country.
Kildee's last day in Congress will be January 3rd, 2024.
"While I'm stepping back from elected office at the end of my term, I'm most definitely not retiring," he wrote. "I'm looking forward to a new chapter continuing to serve Flint and mid-Michigan, just outside of elected office."
