BREAKING: Snowe not running!!!!

[Ogre Mage]

While the partisan in me is extremely glad to see Snowe retire, she was a Republican whose first instinct was to modulate rather than throw red meat to the base and on cultural issues she frequently parted company with the party line.  I've read that she felt isolated and unwanted in the Republican caucus and really, who wants to stay where they are not wanted?  I wish her well in her retirement.

[Ogre Mage]

I would argue that Snowe's independent streak mostly stopped in the last two years.  The New York Times notes:

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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/us/politics/republicans-stampede-to-the-right-ahead-of-2012-election.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

She's been catering to the Tea Party of late and her statement suggests that she didn't like it.  It's worth noting that this is not a Ben Nelson style exit where Snowe is quitting because she probably would have been defeated.  She's leaving because she no longer wants to be in the Senate.

[Ogre Mage]

I'd estimate Senate Democrats have even odds of holding 50+ seats in the Senate post-2012.  Maybe even slightly better than even.  Prior to this, I thought it was likely they would lose control.

[Ogre Mage]

There was an article about Snowe's retirement decision in the NYT.  This quote from a cousin of hers sounded revealing:

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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/us/after-many-tough-choices-the-choice-to-quit.html