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U.S. Senate Democratic leader says to retire at the end of 2016

Xinhua, March 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced Friday he would retire at the end of his term and endorsed New York Senator Charles Schumer to be his successor as the Democratic leader.

After rumors of his retirement spreading for months due to his serious injuries in an exercise accident on 2015 New Year's Day, Senator Reid from Nevada, 75, said in a video posted online that he would not seek reelection in 2016.

"We have got to be more concerned about the country, the Senate, the state of Nevada, than us. And as a result of that, I'm not going to run for reelection," said Reid, excluding injuries and his recent demotion to minority leader as the reason.

"The decision I made has absolutely nothing to do with my injury, and it has nothing to do with my being minority leader, and it certainly has nothing to do with my ability to be reelected, " said Reid in the video.

Democrats lost the Senate majority in November's midterm elections, thereby handing over full control of Congress to Republicans.

"We have to make sure that the Democrats take control of the Senate again, and I feel it is inappropriate for me to soak up all those resources on me when I could be devoting those resources to the caucus," said Reid.

Reid's decision to retire at the end of 2016 leaves a vacancy at the Senate Democratic leadership. In an interview with the U.S. daily The Washington Post on Friday, Reid boosted Senator Schumer from New York as his successor.

"I think Schumer should be able to succeed me," Reid said, adding that he predicted there would be no opposition against Schumer in wining the post.

Schumer is currently the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate. Reid told the newspaper that Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, would not compete with Schumer.

Reid was first elected in the House in 1982. He was elected to the Senate in 1986 and acted as the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2014. The current Senate Majority Leader is Mitch McConnell, a Republican Senator from Kentucky.

"My friend Senator McConnell, don't be too elated," said Reid in his farewell video. "I'm going to be here for 22 months, and you know what I'm going to be doing? The same thing I've done since I first came to the Senate."

Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama praised Reid as a fighter that "has never backed down from a tough decision, or been afraid to choose what is right over what is easy." Endite