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The longest serving woman in Congress in U.S. history is ready to retire. Maryland Democrat Barbara Mikulski will not seek a sixth term in the Senate in 2016.

Mikulski made the announcement at a news conference in the Fells Point neighborhood in Baltimore Monday morning.

"I am here today ... to announce I will not be seeking a sixth term in the United States Senate," Mikulski said. "This is a hard decision to make."

"Do I spend my time raising money or spend my time raising hell?" the Maryland Democrat said is a question that factored into her decision.

Mikulski, whose direct and feisty character paved the way for women who joined the male-dominated Senate, joined the upper chamber in 1987 after ten years in the U.S. House. The 78-year old intends to serve out the remainder of her current term until January 2017.

Mikulski is currently the top Democrat on the powerful Appropriations Committee. She was the first woman to chair the committee responsible for determining and allocating government funding when she took the gavel in December of 2012.

Her retirement could open up the possibility of a contested race in the predominantly blue state, especially in the Democratic primary. Maryland voted for President Barack Obama by 62 percent in both 2008 and 2012 but just elected a Republican for governor in 2014.

It is home to powerful and dynamic politicians who could decide to run for the open seat. On the Democratic side, House Minority Whip, the second highest Democrat in the House, Steny Hoyer, represents the state as does Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who is the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee and a member of House Leadership. Rep. Donna Edwards, the first African American woman from Maryland elected to the House is a possibility and so is Anthony Brown, former Lt. Governor, who surprisingly lost the race for governor in 2014 in what became a bad year to run as a Democrat. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake could consider a run, too, as could Heather Mizeur, former member of House of Delegates and former candidate for governor.

It's also worth nothing that former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is considering a presidential run.

On the Republican side, Rep. Andy Harris is a potential contender. National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Andrea Bozek noted that Republicans will be watching what could be the Democrats' "bloody primary."

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Longest Serving Woman in Congress to Retire

Speaking at the Welsh Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Cardiff, Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said that the Welsh NHS could benefit from up to 450m extra under his partys plans.

Accusing the Labour party of failing to support Wales health service, Nick argued that this extra investment can be used, amongst other things, to support Kirsty Williams pledge to increase the number of nurses on hospital wards.

A full transcript of Nick's speech is below:

I spend a lot of time travelling the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, but theres something about coming to Wales that always lifts my spirits that little bit higher.

You have a confidence, an optimism and a relentless desire to deliver for your communities and your country.

No one embodies that drive better than Kirsty Williams. Kirsty is an inspiration to me just as she is to people all across Wales and throughout the party.

Her commitment and sheer bloody-minded determination to get things done makes her a leader to be reckoned with and makes the Welsh Liberal Democrats a party that continues to punch above its weight.

And listening to Mark Williams and Jane Dodds just now reminds me how much incredible talent we have throughout the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

But given were in Cardiff today, I want to take the opportunity to pay a special tribute to an exceptionally talented MP Jenny Willott.

Everyone who watched the recent BBC programme Inside the Commons saw her absolutely steal the show even if she did have to share the limelight with her sons Toby and Joshua!

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Nick Clegg's Welsh Conference speech

The top Democrat in California's State Assembly visited Chinatown on Wednesday to unveil a plan to boost affordable housing in the state.

Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins is proposing a new $75 fee on many real estate transactions, with the proceeds dedicated to financing the development of more apartments for low- and moderate-income Californians.

It's part of a broader package Atkins is pushing that would boost the state's low-income housing tax credit by $300 million, set up guidelines for allocating new federal housing money expected to start flowing next year, and use a portion of funds from Proposition 47 to develop housing programs for recently released prisoners.

All told, the package would establish more than a half-billion dollars in new housing funds.

"Housing instability is affecting more people than ever before, including young people and families," Atkins said. "To make inroads against California's housing issues, the Assembly is taking a comprehensive approach to increasing the amount of affordable housing in our state."

Some of these ideas have been tried before as California has searched for permanent funding sources to replace dried-up bond funds and now-shut-down redevelopment agencies.

The transaction fee -- which Atkins' office projects would raise "a few hundred million" dollars -- was proposed in a Senate bill last year but stalled amid opposition from trade groups such as the California Assn. of Realtors, which worried it could further drive up the cost of housing.

Those concerns may still exist. Alex Creel, chief lobbyist at the Realtors group, said he's been meeting with Atkins' office about the plan but had yet to see detailed legislation. Any new funds for a statewide concern like affordable housing, he said, should be shared broadly across as many Californians as possible.

"To place the entire burden on real estate recordings, we don't think is fair and equitable," he said.

Southern California routinely ranks among the least-affordable housing markets in the country, and a study last year by a group of nonprofit housing developers estimated that Los Angeles Countyneeds 500,000 more apartments that are affordable to low-income renters.

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State Assembly speaker pushes plan to fund more affordable housing

Rep. Sander Levin, a Michigan Democrat, explains in an interview why hes insisting currency-manipulation language be included in a Pacific trade deal

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) Rep. Sander Levin says he respects Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, but on one particular issue, shes wrong.

We need to face up to this basic issue, Levin, a Michigan Democrat, says about including currency obligations in trade deals specifically, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations are now trying to agree to the final terms of that trade partnership.

Currency impacts jobs, Levin told MarketWatch in an interview. Currency should not be the tool of one country against another.

Levin, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, spoke with MarketWatch on Thursday about Yellens opposition to currency-manipulation language in trade agreements; the status of talks on both trade promotion authority and the Trans-Pacific Partnership; and why he believes Congress needs leverage over the contents of trade deals. Trade promotion authority, or fast track, would let the president negotiate trade deals Congress could not amend.

Here is a condensed and edited Q&A between Levin and MarketWatch:

MarketWatch: There have been reports negotiators are getting close to a deal on trade promotion authority. What do you know about the status of a TPA deal and also, how much work remains on the Trans-Pacific Partnership?

Levin: I dont know the status; you hear different stories every day. I think the key is whats being negotiated in TPP. Thats the real issue. It would cover 40% of the GDP of the world and include, now, Japan. It would include new economies with whom weve never negotiated a trade agreement. And there are issues that have never really been seriously considered in multilateral agreements for example, state-owned enterprises. And also, while there have been through our efforts basic labor and environmental provisions the May 10 standard that essentially was written by some House Democrats while that is now in the negotiation mix, how it would be implemented is also critical.

This is an important negotiation and its really vital to get it right. Negotiations can go both ways in trade; it isnt automatic that trade is a plus. It can be a plus if its shaped the correct way; it can be a minus if it isnt. So I think the appropriate focus at this point needs to be on the contents of TPP, where it is, where its short, and where it can be made better and involving in a meaningful way Congress as a partner.

MarketWatch: Looking back at past trade deals, critics say NAFTA, for example, allowed American jobs to be shipped overseas. So how do you make the case that deals like the TPP would be good for the middle class?

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Capitol Report: U.S. must face up and include currency in trade deal, Levin says

February 25, 2015 Updated Feb 25, 2015 at 5:40 PM EST

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (21ALIVE) --- A Democrat who filed to run for Fort Wayne city clerk gets his name tossed off the May Primary ballot.

It serves as a reminder that you don't go anywhere in local politics if you don't learn to play by the system's rules and regulations.

There are candidates who lose on Election Day, and others who never make it to Election Day.

The latter applies to Brian Thornton, who will not be a choice available to voters in the clerk's race.

Thornton made arguments Wednesday before the Allen County Election Board, seeking to have a challenge to his candidacy thrown out.

But the election board wasn't buying, instead pulling his name from the Democratic ticket in May.

Results from a check of local voting records were presented to the board, and were a big reason why Thornton got tossed.

For Thornton to have qualified to run, he needed to have voted in the Democratic Primary in the last election.

If he didnt meet that standard, he had to demonstrate he was in good standing with the party's leadership.

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City Clerk Candidate Stripped Of Right To Run In May Primary