Republican Dave Camp seriously mulling Senate bid: sources

By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Michigan Republican Dave Camp, chairman of the tax-writing U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, is seriously mulling running for a U.S. Senate seat in 2014, sources close to the lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Camp is giving "serious and thoughtful consideration" to a run for a Michigan Senate seat that will be open in 2014, an aide close to the lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.

His candidacy, while posing a serious challenge for Michigan Democrats, could also divert some of Camp's attention from a bid to revamp the U.S. tax code next year.

The lawmaker has been working with Democratic Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, on parallel legislation to overhaul the tax code. Camp, who has traveled with Baucus and made pitches for tax reform with him, has pledged to pass legislation out of his panel this year.

Many analysts believe the hurdles were already high to complete the tax overhaul, given deep divisions between the parties over taxes.

Under House Republican term limits, Camp will lose his post as chairman of Ways and Means in 2014. Baucus has announced he will not run again when his term ends that same year.

The Michigan Senate seat is opening up because long-time and popular Democratic Senator Carl Levin will not run again in 2014 when his term expires.

Democrats now control the Senate 54-to-46, but 2014 could give Republicans a good chance to take control, according to political analysts.

The Rothenberg Political Report, which tracks race data, rates 20 Democratic-held Senate seats as in play, while judging only 15 Republican seats as up for grabs.

The report earlier this week called Levin's open seat "safe" for Democrats to keep.

U.S. Representative Gary Peters is the early Democratic favorite for the seat.

(Reporting by Kim Dixon; Editing by Vicki Allen)

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