U.S. Representative Dave Camp (R-Midland) announced on Monday that he would be retiring from Congress at the end of the year. Congressman Camp had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins large B-cell lymphoma in July 2012, but has been cancer-free since December of that year. He joins U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-Brighton), U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Detroit) and U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-Dearborn) in the crowd of Michigan federal legislators retiring from office.

As Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Representative Camp spent much of his energy into a rewrite of the federal tax code, an effort that has so far yielded no results. After he unveiled the proposal earlier this year it was ignored by many Republicans in Congress, though he vowed to continue his pursuit.

Camp’s retirement marks an unprecedented loss in political clout by the Michigan delegation. State Senator John Moolenaar (R-Midland), as expected, announced his intent to run for Congressman Camp’s seat. Senator Moolenaar joins tea party activist Peter Konetchy of Roscommon, who previously announced his intent to challenge U.S. Representative Camp, in the primary. Senator Moolenaar, who was called by Congressman Camp with the news of his retirement, is the clear frontrunner in the primary race. Senator Darwin Booher (R-Evart) and Senator Judy Emmons (R-Sheridan) are both considering a run, but have not yet made a decision.