Patrick Leahy, longest serving member still serving Senate, announces he won’t run for re-election

Leahy made his statement during a news conference at the Vermont State House, where he announced his first Senate campaign in 1974.

Leahy, 81, is the fourth longest serving senator in US history. An ardently supportive Senate president, he is currently third in line to the presidential line of succession, behind the vice president and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Leahy was the first and still the only Democrat to represent her home state in the United States Senate.

This story is broken and will be updated.