Representative Gary Ackerman Won't Seek Re-election to Congress Representative Gary Ackerman, a longtime Democratic congressman from Queens and Long Island, announced on Thursday that he would not seek re-election, an unexpected development that brings an end to a colorful political career. His decision was somewhat baffling to his colleagues in Congress. For weeks, he had been telling them that he would run and was preparing for a campaign, including urging other Democrats eyeing his newly constituted district not to get into the race. But then, Mr. Ackerman had always baffled people on the Hill. He was hard to miss in the corridors of Congress, always wearing a white carnation boutonniere on his lapel and pulling up to work in white 1966 Plymouth Valiant. And unlike other lawmakers who live in apartments, hotels and houses during the week while Congress is in session, he lived on a houseboat called the Unsinkable II, a 42-foot vessel with one room that was docked on the Potomac River, just miles from Capitol Hill. The Unsinkable I sank in the Potomac in the mid-1980s. He was also well-known for an annual fund-raiser he held in Washington, a quintessentially New York affair catered with kosher deli items shipped in from the city, including corned beef, pastrami, matzo ball soup, sour pickles, stuffed cabbage, hot dogs with mustard and sauerkraut, and Dr. Brown's sodas. Lawmakers from all over the country attended. Here is the statement from Mr. Ackerman's office: U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today announced that he will not seek re-election to the United States Congress. On the eve of the Federal Circuit Court's approval of Congressional district lines that were seen to be extraordinarily favorable to Ackerman, and with the primary-free backing of the Democratic Party virtually assured, Ackerman has informed his family, staff, friends and party leaders that he will not seek a 16th term of office. "The residents of Queens and Long Island have honored me with their trust and support for the past 34 years, first as a New York state senator, and for the past 15 terms as a Member of Congress," said Ackerman. I've been truly privileged to have had the opportunity to fight for the beliefs of my neighbors in both the state capital and in the halls of Congress. During my years in Congress, it has been my pleasure to address the needs of thousands of individual constituents, and to influence domestic and global policy while serving on the financial and foreign affairs committees in the House. I am most thankful for the opportunity I've had to serve my country and my community. Congressman Ackerman went on to say that he remains extremely passionate about the causes related to his Congressional activities and expects that he will continue to be aggressively involved in many local and global issues as he moves into his role as a private citizen. Ackerman's term of office will end on Jan. 2, 2013.