Longtime Democrat from New York, Brian Higgins, to leave Congress next year

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., will leave Congress in February after 19 years, a spokeswoman confirmed Sunday.

The Buffalo area Democrat scheduled a news conference for mid-morning.

In an interview with The Buffalo News published Sunday, Higgins said he has grown frustrated with the House of Representatives.

“Congress is not the institution that I came to 19 years ago,” Higgins told the newspaper. “And, you know, it’s in a very, very bad place right now. I am hopeful, as I always am, that it gets better. But unfortunately, I think we’re at the beginning phases of a deterioration of the prestige of the institution.”

He did not immediately say what he would do next.

The announcement comes two days after Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio announced he will not seek reelection next year.

Higgins is credited with leading the efforts to revitalize Buffalo’s waterfront.