From the Detroit Free Press:

Reports from Washington late last week proclaimed that the longest-serving member of the U.S. House ever, Dearborn Democrat John Dingell, will seek re-election in 2012.

A little premature?

Yes, the final decision hasn’t been made yet (and it would be extraordinarily early to do so). It’s true that, as in pretty much every other odd-numbered year since 1955, Dingell — he’s 84 — is looking at running again and is raising money toward that end. If an election were held tomorrow, he would probably be in it.

However, there’s a lot that must be determined first, perhaps most significantly, what his district will look like after the reapportionment process redraws the entire Michigan congressional map and leaves someone without a district to call their own. Republicans will control the process, meaning a Democrat or two will get squeezed.

All that said, Dingell is working to “put himself in a strong position for whatever 2012 and redistricting hold,” said his spokeswoman, Betsy Barrett.

On a related note: If Dingell does run for and win a 29th full two-year term, he stands to pass the late West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd as the longest-serving member of Congress ever on June 8, 2013.

Mark the date!

Read this at freep.com.