The rumor mill ground to a halt today regarding Congressman Fred Upton’s potential run for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. The longtime St. Joe Republican will not be making that run, choosing to remain “full speed ahead” in the race for the seat he has held for sixteen terms in office instead.
Upton released the following statement this morning:
“I will not be a candidate for the U.S. Senate. There was a path, but today we are choosing not to follow it.
Instead, my focus will remain on helping all of my constituents with problems big and small and improving the quality of life for all in Michigan.
I’m also excited about seeing our bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act through, getting historic tax-reform into law to help Michigan middle-class families, advancing common-sense ‘all-of-the-above’ energy solutions, and working with the Problem Solvers Caucus to do it all in a bipartisan way. As it should be done.
We need focus and fortitude in Washington now more than ever. We are full speed ahead for re-election in 2018.
Now, as we close this door, Amey and I want to thank from the bottom of our hearts all those who helped us come to this announcement along the way. It was not an easy decision, but it is the right one.”
Speculation amped up considerably this summer when political conferences on Mackinac Island spread the story like wildfire, but Upton always played his cards close to the vest, never tipping his hand which way the decision was leaning.
