Sen. Patrick Leahy, the influential Vermont Democrat and Senate's president pro tempore, announced Monday that he will retire from the Senate after this term in Congress. "Marcelle and I have reached the conclusion it is time to put down the gavel," Leahy said in announcing his retirement. "It is time to pass the torch to the next Vermonter who will carry on this work for a great state. It's time to come home." Leahy, 81, is the chair of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee and the most senior lawmaker on the both the Judiciary and Agriculture committees. He has served in the Senate for nearly 50 years. The senator highlighted legislation he'd championed over the years, including efforts to grow the organic farming industry in the US, expand Vermont's state and federal forests and support small businesses across the country. Leahy's retirement opens the field for a fierce primary in Vermont, a New England state known for its progressive yet idiosyncratic politics.