Patty Murray to seek fifth Senate term

SEATTLE -- U.S. Senator Patty Murray is making plans for 2016.

Patty MurrayThe Seattle Times reported that the Bothell native will seek a fifth term in the Senate. Murray is one of the Senate's longest-serving politicians and one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, D.C.

She ranks fourth in leadership among Senate Democrats and recently developed the two-year budget deal with Representative Paul Ryan, R-Wis, the House Budget Committee Chairman.

As Murray told The Seattle Times, when people ask her why she wants to keep serving in the Senate, she replies that standing right in the middle of the debate in D.C., fighting for the people of her home state, is where she would rather be. However, she pointed out that she only works in D.C., and spends many weekends at home on Whidbey Island.

Murray was first elected in 1992. In 2010, she had her most narrow re-election victory when she beat Republican Dino Rossi with 52 percent of the vote.

If Murray is re-elected in 2016, she will have served 30 years in the Senate by the end of that term.