Rep. Frank Wolf has announced that he will retire at the end of the term. Democrats are dancing with glee at the prospects of his seat going to one of their own. Wolf’s announcement comes as a surprise as most people thought he would run for his 18th session in Congress. According to the Washington Post:
Rep. Frank Wolf announced Tuesday that he would not run for reelection in 2014, bringing an end to a three-decade career in Congress and instantly making his Northern Virginia seat a prime November battleground.
The 74-year-old Republican’s decision came as a surprise — as recently as last week, leaders in both parties fully expected him to run for an 18th term. But in a statement issued by his office, Wolf said he planned to continue his longtime work on human rights and religious freedom issues.
“As a follower of Jesus, I am called to work for justice and reconciliation, and to be an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves,” Wolf said. “I plan to focus my future work on human rights and religious freedom – both domestic and international – as well as matters of the culture and the American family.”
