Democratic Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving House member, is going for another record in Congress.
Dingell told The Detroit News that he is running for a 30th term and is already raising money for the campaign. If re-elected to his Michigan district in the Detroit suburbs, Dingell would be on course to surpass the late senator Robert Byrd's record as the longest-serving member of Congress.
Dingell, 84, has been in office since 1955, succeeding his father in the House. Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat who died last year at the age of 92, served a total of more than 57 years in the House and the Senate.
"It's the greatest job in the world," Dingell said.
Dingell is, perhaps, best known for his support of Detroit's automakers and his push for universal health care coverage.
Last year, he proudly watched President Obama sign a sweeping health care bill into law that mandates Americans have health insurance. That law has become a target for the Republicans who now control the House.
By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY
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