Delegate Don Perdue, who has represented Wayne County for 17 years, will not seek re-election for a 10th term, he announced Friday.
Perdue, a Democrat and former pharmacist, was the longtime chair of the House Health and Human Resources before Republicans won control of the House last year.
"Leaving an arena so compelling and populated by people who honestly do believe they can make a difference is difficult in the extreme," Perdue said in a prepared statement. "It certainly hasn't been easy, but the work has been gratifying."
Perdue said it was "time to make room" for others.
Perdue becomes the latest in a string of long-serving Democratic politicians to not seek re-election in 2016. Others not running in 2016 include Kanawha County Delegate Nancy Guthrie, Fayette County Sen. Bill Laird, Jefferson County Sen. Herb Snyder and state Auditor Glen Gainer.