Michigan Rep. Candice Miller will retire

Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) announced Thursday she will not seek reelection in 2016.

Miller, who chairs the House Administration Committee, is the GOP’s only female committee chairman. 

{mosads}“People of faith, people of family, people of community.  Hard working people, decent people, patriots who are constantly engaged in building our community, our state, a stronger nation,” Miller said in a statement. “This is the community that I love, that I call home, and at the conclusion of my current term in office, I will be coming home.”

Miller, the former Michigan secretary of State, was first elected to Congress in 2002. In retiring, she’ll join other veteran Michigan lawmakers who recently have left Congress, including Rep. John Dingell and Sen. Carl Levin, both Democrats, and GOP Reps. Mike Rogers and Dave Camp. 

She did not say what she plans to do next, but added: “None of us know what the future will bring, but I hope God grants me grace to continue to give back to this magnificent place we call Michigan.”

Miller’s retirement opens up a Republican-leaning district in suburban Detroit — Mitt Romney won 55 percent of the vote in the district in 2012 — that’s likely to stay in GOP hands unless the party has a terrible year at the presidential level or they land a flawed candidate.

Republicans who may be interested in the seat include Michigan state Reps. Andrea LaFontaine (R) and Todd Courser (R) and former Michigan state Rep. Pete Lund (R), who left because of term limits. Lund and LaFontaine are said to be close and unlikely to run against one another, while Courser, a Tea Party favorite, could create an interesting primary scenario if he runs.

Miller, however, indicated she doesn’t plan to endorse a successor. 

“I freely pass the baton to whomever my community chooses to serve as their next voice in the US House of Representatives,” she said in her statement. “I pledge to support their choice to the very best of my ability, as I pledge to finish my term with a commitment to fulfill my duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability, as I swore in my oath of office.”

This post was updated at 4:24 p.m.