GOP Senator Olympia Snowe to Retire

Republican Olympia Snowe said today she will retire from the Senate rather than seek re-election, reports the Kennebec Journal. The Washington Post sees it as bad news for her party in the very blue state of Maine. Democrats will likely be favored to take the seat the moderate Snowe has held for three six-year terms. She cited the bitter partisanship of DC in her decision:

“Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term,” she said in a statement. “So at this stage of my tenure in public service, I have concluded that I am not prepared to commit myself to an additional six years in the Senate, which is what a fourth term would entail.” Politico has her full statement here. (More Olympia Snowe stories.)