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U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said Wednesday he will not seek another term in the U.S. House because he does not want to face another Democratic veteran in this spring’s primary.

Miller, 58, a Democrat first elected to Congress in 2002, lives in Raleigh but has represented a district that runs along the Virginia border to Rockingham County and then dips into Greensboro.

“I had not planned to spend the rest of my natural life, or even my career, in Congress,” he said.

But Miller said he likely would have run again if new legislative boundaries drawn by legislators were more favorable to him. Republicans took control of the state House following the 2010 elections and controlled the redistricting process after the most recent U.S. Census.

Miller’s seat, the 13th Congressional District, favors Republican candidates. He could have sought refuge in the 4th Congressional District, whose boundary is only a block from his home and where the incumbent is fellow Democrat David Price.

Miller said he did not want such a showdown, and he believes Price will run regardless. Miller would have been an underdog against Price, given that the district includes territory Price has represented and Miller has not.

“In other campaigns, I have begun as an underdog and campaigned with great enthusiasm and energy and even joy. I feel none of that for this campaign,” he said.

Some are sure to see this as comeuppance for Miller, who as a state senator played a key role in drawing legislative maps following the 2000 census. He was the architect of the Democratic-leaning version of the 13th District, and plans he wrote forced some GOP lawmakers out of office.

Miller objects to that assessment, saying the 13th District’s configuration didn’t do him any favors and was part of a balanced redistricting plan. Democrats hold a slim 7-6 majority among the state’s 13 U.S. representatives. That could swing to a 10-3 Republican advantage if the districts play out as expected.

“The Republicans seem to have taken as much partisan advantage as they possibly could,” he said.

Democrats and a coalition of social justice and advocacy groups are suing to invalidate the new maps. However, a three-judge Superior Court panel refused last week to issue an injunction against their use.

Miller has been known for pushing reforms in financial and mortgage markets. His work has earned him scorn from big banks, but consumer advocates said his voice will be missed.

“His presence and his advocacy will be sorely missed,” said Al Ripley, director of consumer affairs for the N.C. Justice Center. “He’s been especially effective in combatting predatory lending practices and bringing about reforms in the U.S. mortgage markets.”

Miller serves on the Committee on Financial Services and has used that position to push financial reform legislation such as the creation of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has written numerous opinion pieces pushing the Obama administration and others to enact stricter consumer financial protections.

“Others will need to step up and play a greater role,” Miller said.

Should he return to Congress after a hiatus, Miller said he would not have the same clout or be guaranteed a seat on his old committees. That, he said, makes a return to Congress in two or four years if Price retires unlikely.

“I know they say never say never, but I think there’s a pretty good chance I won’t run for public office ever again,” he said.

Miller said he doesn’t know what he will do after Congress. He is a lawyer and said he would like to continue to be part of financial industry reform discussions. He said he does not want to mix discussions of his potential work in the private sector with his work as a sitting congressman.

“It’s been a very long time since I’ve done a resume,” he said.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com