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Congressman Elijah Cummings Seeking Re-election In Congress

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Congressman Elijah Cummings announced Tuesday his decision to seek re-election in Maryland's seventh district.

WJZ spoke to Cummings on Monday night when he only had hours to decide whether or not he'd run for U.S. Senate -- for the seat being left vacant by Senator Barbara Mikulski, who announced her retirement last year.

"Government is about the business of serving people and helping them live better lives, not hurting them," Cummings said Monday night.

On Tuesday morning, Cummings released a statement about his intentions for the 2016 election year.

His full statement follows:

Over the past many months, ever since my friend, Senator Mikulski, announced that she would not seek re-election to the United States Senate, I have given a great deal of thought as to how I can best serve the people of the Baltimore region, the people of Maryland and people across our great nation.

During that time, people from all over – rich and poor, black, white and Latino, old and young, elected officials and folks who are completely apolitical – have urged me to run for the Senate. Their expressions of repeated support – to pollsters, to family and friends, and to me directly – leave me deeply humbled and honored.

I have also heard the outpouring of encouragement from my colleagues in Congress and members of our state legislature, which also has been deeply humbling and gratifying. For people who know me well, see me and work with me every day, and know thoroughly my abilities, my vision and my commitment to service to so strongly encourage me to seek such an important office has been very gratifying.

These expressions of confidence would be gratifying under any circumstance but especially in light of the legacy Senator Mikulski leaves behind – a legacy of service that will endure for decades.

I am mindful of the great opportunity that service in the United States Senate would present. Yet, I also am mindful that broader consequences of the 2016 elections are more important than my own future. We will be electing a new president, and it is essential that he or she build upon the great work done by President Obama, not take us backward. We will be electing a new Senator, and it is essential that he or she build upon the great work done by Senator Mikulski, not take us backward. We will be electing a new Mayor in my hometown of Baltimore, and it is essential that he or she lead and unite us in repairing our city, healing its divisions and moving us forward, not backward.

With all of those challenges in mind, it is critical that we all work together to elect strong, progressive leadership up and down the ticket in 2016 – and I believe that I can best serve the people of our city, our state and our nation by continuing my work in Congress, by continuing to touch people in every part of our great nation, and by leading an united effort to elect progressives across the board – rather than by focusing upon one single senate race.

For all of these reasons, and for no other, I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Congress from Maryland's Seventh District.

Over the course of the next several months, I will be asking everyone seeking elective office to join me in giving voice to an inclusive, progressive agenda: an agenda rooted in helping our businesses create jobs, improving our schools, reforming criminal justice, helping people reach -- and maintain -- the goal of home ownership, expanding access to quality, affordable health care, reducing the price of prescription drugs and ensuring that every citizen's voice is given equal weight, both in their voting booths and in the halls of Congress.

These are the issues that are at the center of people's lives – the challenges that our next President, next Senator, next congressional delegation and next Mayor must fight to overcome – not some of the time, but every day and for everyone.

Thank you and may God bless the United States of America.

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