DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley says he’ll seek a seventh term in 2016.  Speaking Friday during a taping of the public television program “Iowa Press,” Grassley said in response to a question that he’s planning to seek re-election.  After the taping, Grassley told The Des Moines Register he decided a couple months ago to run for re-election after longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin opted to retire.

Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, says if both senators retired, Iowa would be hurt by a lack of seniority. Grassley was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980. He’d previously served three terms in the U.S. House. He was first elected to the Iowa Legislature in 1958.

Grassley celebrated his 80th birthday Tuesday.