GOP freshman says he'll serve no more than four terms

Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) said that, unlike his predecessor, he won't spend more than eight years serving in Congress.

The incoming freshman said Sunday that he won't seek more than four terms, but prefers to serve only three.

"I’ve always said I’d prefer not to serve more than three terms, and I won’t serve more than four,” Cravaack told the Duluth News Tribune. 

In November, Cravaack surprisingly unseated House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), who served 18 terms in Congress.

The former Navy officer made term limits part of his campaign pitch, saying that Oberstar received 94 percent of his campaign donations from out of state, in part due to his relationships with special interests.

Cravaack admitted that he might not even last that long, considering the district he represents.

"But I realize this is a very highly Democratic area. I also realize there’s a lot of people that really don’t like me being here in this seat," he said in a wide-ranging interview. "But hopefully they’ll judge me by my actions rather than what’s behind my name — an 'R.' Because I will be working very hard for the people of the 8th [district]."