Carl Levin Isn't Running for Re-Election: What Does Birmingham Think?

After more than 30 years in office, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) announced earlier this week that he won't be running for re-election in 2014.

As expected, the move drew a mixed bag of opinions about the 78-year-old senator throughout Michigan, Metro Detroit and even Birmingham.

"I can best serve my state and my nation by concentrated in the next two years on the challenging issues before us ... in other words, by doing my job without the 'distraction of campaigning for re-election," Levin said in a statement Thursday.

Levin first won his senate seat in 1978 and hasn't left since.

While Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak used Levin's announcement to attack the "lack of leadership and failed policies put forth by the U.S. Senate," President Barack Obama had kinder words for Levin, calling him a "champion" U.S. military families.

Levin is currently the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He has also served on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the Intelligence Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Great Lakes Task Force and the Senate Auto Caucus.

In Birmingham, residents sounded off on the Birmingham Patch Facebook page only hours after Levin's announcement:

• Ron Dwyer: Great day for Michigan!
• Christopher Cole: Bad for the state and bad for holding crooked banks accountable. He's been a powerful Democrat on two of the most important committees.
• Toby Hyman: Let him enjoy his life, he served (a) long time and deserves it.
• Jeff Richmond: The rest of the dinosaurs went extinct years ago.
• Diane Hester: It's time.

What do you think of Levin's announcement? Has Carl Levin been good for Michigan? Do you think a Republican will, or should, replace him in the Senate?