Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a member of the chamber's Democrat leadership, announced Thursday that she will not run for a fifth term in 2024, opening up a seat in the key battleground state.
The news likely comes as a shock to many Democrats in the state because Stabenow had not previously indicated that she would not seek reelection.
"Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate. I am announcing today that I will not seek reelection and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025," Stabenow said in a statement.
Democrats will face a test to find a candidate with the broad support of Stabenow, first elected to the Senate in 2001. She has easily won reelection since then.