State Sen. Chuck Colgan (D), the longest-serving member of the General Assembly's upper chamber, said Tuesday that he has decided not to retire after all and instead seek a 10th fourth-year term.

"My kids said this morning that they didn't object," said Colgan, who jokingly referred to his large family as his "base" during the 2007 campaign. He said immediately after winning his ninth term that he would retire at its conclusion in 2011.

The 84-year-old first elected in 1975 said that none of his family members expressed having any current interest in running for the seat despite some having past interest. He said that his "obligation" to Prince William County as the Senate's most powerful member along with encouragement from the community triggered his decision.

With Colgan running again, Democrats have a better shot at protecting their 22-18 majority in the state Senate, though even after redistricting, a number of Democratic incumbents are facing highly competitive races. Colgan, the dean of the Senate, serves as President Pro Tempore, chairman of the Finance Committee and sits on the budget conference committee.

Colgan said that, if re-elected, he would like to shrink the size of the conference committee from seven members to five members, with three from the majority party and two from the minority. Colgan, often described as the upper chamber's most conservative Democrat, is also known as being among its most affable members. He emphasized that as finance chairman, views of minority Republicans are "always taken into consideration."