Rep. Jim Moran won’t seek reelection

Northern Virginia Rep. Jim Moran (D) will not seek another term in Congress.

“After 35 years as a public servant, as Mayor of Alexandria, and for the past 23 as a member of the House of Representatives, it’s time to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next challenge. It’s been an honor to represent Northern Virginia,” Moran said in a statement Wednesday morning. “I couldn’t be more fortunate to have spent my career working with such wonderful people trying to make this one of the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family.

The 12-term congressman represents the heavily Democratic Washington, D.C., suburbs of Arlington and Alexandria, and his seat is sure to remain in Democratic hands. 

A crucial appropriator, Moran was the ranking member on the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee and sat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in the district that holds the Pentagon and other critical military outposts. 

“In his twenty-three years in the United States Congress, Jim Moran has pushed to create jobs and economic opportunity for hardworking Virginians and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to growing a strong American economy,” President Obama said in a statement.

“And because of Jim’s leadership, our brave service members and veterans are better protected, our civil service is stronger, and our air and water are cleaner and safer. Michelle and I thank Congressman Moran for his service, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future,” he added.

The Virginia congressman is the third Democrat to head for the exits this week, following Rep. George Miller’s (Calif.) announcement on Monday and Rep. Bill Owens’s (N.Y.) decision Tuesday. Moran is the 15th House member to announce that he or she won’t run again in 2014, a list which now includes six Democrats and nine Republicans. 

—This post was updated at 2:19 p.m.