Prominent Democrat Barney Frank has announced he will not seek re-election in 2012. The 71-year-old 16-term U.S. Representative from Massachusetts said his decision was partly based on recent redistricting that altered the political makeup of his congressional district. Among Frank’s contributions during his political career was the 2010 Dodd-Frank measure, designed to rein in Wall Street excess after the 2008 crash.
President Barack Obama thanked Frank for his public service over the years, calling him a “fierce advocate for the people of Massachusetts and Americans everywhere who needed a voice.” Earlier in his career, Frank became one of the first openly gay members of Congress. While Frank’s district is Democratic, the recent redistricting incorporated several conservative towns, potentially leaving its outcome uncertain in the 2012 elections.
