Tom Carper is not ready to leave the U.S. Senate just yet. Delaware’s senior senator will pursue another term.
Carper put to rest the possibility he may retire at the end of his current term – telling MSNBC last week he will run for re-election in 2018.
He says the current political landscape was one key factor in his decision.
“You know, you go back to just before the election last year and Hillary (Clinton) was going to be president and Democrats were going to be in the majority in the Senate and I was ready to say let them do that and I’ll go find some other challenges,” said Carper.
And the 70 year old Carper says he’s ready to continue serving another six years.
“I don’t think I’ve been as motivated and energized in my life in the Senate. People say it must be a terrible job these days. I say ‘No, I love coming here.’ I love the folks I work with and what we’re doing is important. We need to make progress,” said Carper.
Carper won a third term in 2012, easily defeating Republican Kevin Wade and Independent Alex Pires with 66 percent of the vote.
He’s been in the Senate since 2001 and before that was two-term Governor and served as the state’s lone Congressman.
