U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings confirmed Tuesday long swirling rumors that he will seek re-election rather than run for the seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski.
Cummings said he is “mindful of the great opportunity that service in the United States Senate would present.” But, he adds “I believe that I can best serve the people of our city, our state and our nation by continuing my work in Congress.”
The 10-term congressman will seek an 11th term representing Maryland’s seventh congressional district; which covers most of Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore and Howard Counties.
Although some had suggested the Democrat might abandon his Congressional seat to run for the Senate, Cummings seemed non-committal. The Rev. Jamal Bryant, a Northwest Baltimore pastor, announced his campaign for Cummings seat in September saying “he respects Cummings” and is “not opposing anyone.” Cummings said then it was “definitely premature” to rule him out of running for another term.
Bryant ended his campaign eight days later, telling WBAL-TV he had learned of Cummings’ impeding re-election campaign.
Cummings served in the Md. House of Delegates for 13 years before winning a special election in 1996 to fill the Congressional seat vacated by Kweisi Mfume, who resigned to take the presidency of the NAACP.