GOP Rep. Dave Camp Won't Run for Senate in Michigan

One less potential rival for Justin Amash, should he decide to run

U.S. Rep. Dave Camp announced Friday he won't run for U.S. Senate in 2014, dashing the GOP's hope of recruiting the powerful chairman into the race.

Camp, the Midland Republican, said he'll continue to focus on his job as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, where he is pushing tax reform and leading an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service. A Democratic election congressional committee had warned a Camp run for Senate would imperil any bipartisan effort to rewrite and simplify the tax code.

"Over the past few months, I have received a lot of encouragement to run for the United States Senate," Camp said in a statement. "I have greatly appreciated and am deeply humbled by those calls and conversations. After much thought and careful consideration, I have decided not to run for the United States Senate."