Rep. Adam Schiff Not Running for US Senate in California

— -- Rep. Adam Schiff, an eight-term Democrat from California, has decided not to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in the Golden State in 2016, he told ABC News in an interview today.

“I have decided not to run next year,” said Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. “I feel I’m in a position to have a big impact on national security policy as the ranking member on the Intelligence Committee. And I’d like to continue doing that.”

Schiff, who is also a member of the Benghazi Select Committee, said he “did look at it very seriously” but reached his decision over the weekend after consulting with family, friends and supporters.

Had he chosen to enter the race, Schiff predicted that his national security credentials would have separated him from the field of potential candidates.

“Having a background in national security would have been a distinguishing feature in the Senate race and something that would have been valuable that I could offer to people in California,” he said.

While a slate of other California Democrats are gauging support to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer, who decided to retire at the end of her current term, Schiff could potentially reconsider a Senate bid in 2018, when Sen. Dianne Feinstein is up for re-election. At 81 years old, Feinstein is the oldest member of the current Senate and would be 85 on Election Day in 2018.

Schiff, however, encouraged Feinstein to seek a sixth term in 2018.

“I hope she runs again because I think she’s fantastic and she’s a great partner to work on intelligence issues with,” he said. “But, for me, I just got this position [as Ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee] a couple of months ago and at the end of the day I was reluctant to give that up when I think I can have a real impact on some of the key issues of the day.”

California Attorney General Kamala Harris, as well as Democratic Reps. Loretta Sanchez, Raul Ruiz and Jackie Speier and Xavier Becerra are still weighing whether to enter the 2016 race to replace Boxer.