The full interview with U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, who spoke to DC News Now about a possible 2024 run for a Senate seat, his battle with cancer, and Republicans on the House Oversight Committee taking aim at DC’s crime problems, is featured below.

MARYLAND (DC News Now) — Many thoughts ran through Jamie Raskin’s mind when he heard in December that he had been diagnosed with what no one ever wants to hear: Cancer.

Yet the influential congressman from Maryland revealed that he’s been declared cancer free after five months of grueling chemotherapy to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

“Obviously, none of us is immortal. We’re not going to live forever,” Raskin told DC News Now in an extensive interview about his cancer journey. “But I feel a much greater sense of the kind of breath and openness about the horizon ahead of me.”

Raskin, the chosen and ranking Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee, said he knew one thing: He wasn’t going to leave Congress.

“Not for one minute,” he declared.

The chemotherapy, he revealed, was grueling. He lost his hair, eyebrows, and 10 to 12 pounds.

“The chemo is your best friend,” he said. “But it’s also your worst enemy because it causes such, you know, atrocious side effects. You lose your taste buds, which is one of the really hardest things about it because you lose your appetite. And in my case, everything just tasted like heavy metal.”

When asked if he thought he could die of cancer, Raskin admitted, “Obviously everything crosses your mind. My family’s been through a lot of shocks over the last several years. We lost our beloved son, Tommy on the last day of 2020.”

A week later the January 6th insurrection happened and Raskin was in the Capitol with one of his daughters that fateful day.

Then came the cancer diagnosis which rocked his family, he said.

“My first reaction was just feeling terrible about putting, you, know, my family and my friends and my constituents through yet another big, very traumatic thing,” Raskin said.

Raskin said he formed bonds during treatment and appreciated the work and kindness of nurses and doctors.

“Chemo land has its difficulties and its arduousness but there’s some great things about it, like there’s no racism over there,” he said. “And there’s no immigrant bashing over there. You don’t get a lot of the petty prejudices and hatreds that seem to operate in our world, unfortunately, today.”

Raskin didn’t miss one hearing or vote and was always seen donning his colorful head scarfs, twelve of which came from Steven Van Zandt, a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band and known for his bandanas.

“I feel like we’re still in the middle of this fight to defend democratic institutions and practices and values,” Raskin said. “And I’m in the right place. And I feel an obligation to my family and my constituents and my country to see this through.”