Democrats have to maintain yet another open seat in Congress after Iowa U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D), announced that he would not seek re-election in 2014. The move has brought a flurry of potential GOP nominees with the intention of taking the seat from the Democrats.
Harkin announced his retirement in January 2013, claiming that his age, 81, was the main reason for his departure. A Democrat with a staunchly liberal voting record, Harkin has been in the Senate since 1985.