Sen. Stabenow, D-Mich., brags about her electric vehicle to Treasury sec. Yellen
Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., bragged in a Senate Finance Committee meeting that she doesn’t have to worry about high gas prices because she drives an electric car.
After Michigan Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow made a surprise announcement that she would not seek reelection in 2025, Twitter Democrats and liberal activists rushed to downplay the news.
Stabenow, at 72-years-old, has already served in the Senate for more than two decades. In her Jan. 5 statement, she called on the next generation of Democratic leaders to rise up.
"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 re-election and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025."
DEMOCRAT SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW ANNOUNCES SHE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2024
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow speaks after the cloture vote on the nomination of Loretta Lynch to be Attorney General, on Capitol Hill in Washington April 23, 2015. After weeks of difficult negotiations, the Senate is set to clear the way for the long-delayed confirmation of Loretta Lynch to replace Eric Holder Jr. as attorney general. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTX1A0IM
WeWork executive and former political operative for Barack Obama, Tim Fullerton, said the news was no big deal. "Lol - Michigan has a deep, deep bench of strong Democrats to replace Stabenow. I'm not worried about this at all."
NBC News reported that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, her Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and even Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — who moved to Michigan in July — have all been floated as candidates for a possible replacement.
But a spokesperson for Whitmer and Buttigieg himself both separately denied speculation that they would run for Stabenow's seat in 2025.
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Stabenow’s decision not to run for a fifth term in office provides the Republican Party in Michigan a rare chance to flip the seat and upset the balance of power in the Senate, which Democrats hold by a thin margin of 51-49.
But New Policy Institute president Simon Rosenberg, a self-described "liberal" and "Democrat" according to his official Twitter profile, said that the Democratic Party was as powerful as ever just minutes after the news dropped. "Pelosi and Stabenow, and others to follow, would only be leaving if they felt their successors were capable. And they are."
He continued: "It's a primary reason why I think the Democratic Party is so strong right now, perhaps stronger than any time in decades."
Podcast host Rachel Vindman responded directly to Stabenow's post and claimed that another will soon take her place. "Thank you for your service, Senator! There are many wonderful women in Michigan who can take the baton from you!"
Senate Majority Leader and New York Democrat Chuck Schumer also expressed confidence that the Party would not lose a seat to the Republicans in a press statement Thursday.
"With Debbie’s help, and the strong Michigan Democratic Party she helped build, Debbie and I are confident Democrats will retain the seat."
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WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is a close ally of Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Stabenow took flack in June for saying that it "didn’t matter how high" gas prices were because she had an "electric vehicle."
"Let them buy Teslas!" National Review writer Kyle Smith glibly tweeted in response to the Senator’s comments.
Fox News’ Gabriel Hays and Kyle Morris contributed to this report.
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