If this doesn't stimulate some sober reflection on how dysfunctional and polar the Senate has become, what will?

But, sigh, I think the opportunity will be lost altogether on the Republican base. They'll no doubt have little trouble finding a wingnut from the far right to replace Senator Snowe on their ballot.

Maine used to be a model of moderate politic. Even with a population that is all over the board -- from single-issue gun nuts, died-in-the-wool libertarians, worker-friendly populists, fundies and "fiscal conservatives" to aging Muskie liberals -- Mainers tend to reject ideas that strike them as too extreme. But now we find ourselves with a governor (LePage) who can stand toe-to-toe with any anti-labor, pro-business bigot in the country.

Fortunately, I think (HOPE!) that LePage's tide is already on its way out and maybe...just maybe...this'll turn into a genuine pick-up opportunity for the Democrats.

She's still more conservative than the most conservative Democrat in the Senate. So the polarization of which she speaks may be laid in part at her door.

In her statement she repeated over and over how well prepared she was for the run and how she would have won had she done so. That's a red flag for me. I suspect she had some money problems and is facing a Tea Party challenge that she thought she might not be able to win. In order words, I don't believe her. I think she's quitting because she doesn't think she can win.

It could be. They've been calling her a traitor and a RINO since she dared speak to the democrats about voting in favour of having a vote on the health care bill.

I think it's more likely a variation on that. I think she probably could win. This is Maine; she is Olympia Snowe. I think she realized that she was going to have to deal with the primary challenge from the right, then deal with a general election campaign where any move to the right she made would be held against her, and that her best case win as a result of all this would be six more years in a caucus led by Mitch McConnell. I think she decided that it wasn't worth the effort.

I also think that, should Obama win reelection, she'll be offered a cabinet-level position of some sort.

Snowe was facing a challenge from Teabaggers who were quick to target her. I haven't located a poll which suggests Snowe was in any real danger of losing the primary. The linked Jan 30 article states Maine Democrats recognized they would be unlikely to defeat her in November, so allow your speculation to roll.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/3 ... 42534.html

RealClearPolitics will probably move the Senate race from "Leans Republican" to "Toss Up" shortly.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... e_map.html

I really think it's probably very similar to what she said in her statement. She's been a loyal Republican. She's voted the party line the vast majority of the time, including quite a few votes that have gone against some of her earlier position statements. Her reward has been increasing marginalization in her own caucus, routine vilification from the right wing echo chamber, and a primary from her right. I think she decided that it's just not worth the continued aggravation.

She could always have become a Democrat.

Which, I would think, would have allowed her to have more of a positive effect on the partisanship issue than dropping out of the race. It's not like she's that far away from the blue dogs, ideologically speaking...

Sen Snowe voted:
Yea on a constitutional amendment to balance the budget (SJ Res 10) Dec 14, 2011
Present on a cloture motion to end debate on the Richard Cordray nomination [Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection] (PN 784) Dec 8, 2011
Nay on a cloture motion to end debate on the Joan Halligan nomination [Circuit Judge for the DC Circuit] (PN5) Dec 6, 2011
Nay on a cloture motion to end debate on the Goodwin Liu nomination [Circuit Judge for the 9th Circuit] (PN3) May 19, 2011
Nay on a confirmation vote for William Martinez to be District Judge for Colorado (PN1472) Dec 21, 2010
Nay on a confirmation vote for Benita Pearson to be District Judge for the ND of Ohio (PN1248) Dec 21,2010
Nay on a cloture motion to end debate on the Craig Becker nomination to the NLRB (PN1351) Feb 9, 2010
Nay on final passage for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) Dec 24, 2009
Nay on a confirmation vote for David Hamilton to be Circuit Judge for the 7th Circuit (PN 187) Nov 19, 2009
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legisl ... /votes.htm

No thank you. I prefer to take my chances on whichever Democrat wins the primary election.

Agreed, but Snowe did not contribute to the incivility and outright lunacy of recent years. I do not believe she was facing any serious opposition in her reelection campaign, and think she can be taken at her word on why she's not running. I do think she's a possible contender as a Presidential or VP candidate in the future.

The last Republican whose retirement was actually a loss to the country (IMO) was Sherwood Boehlert in 2006.

I don't anticipate any more in the future. The remaining ones are not just bad politicians with bad politics. They're bad people.

She has a lot more class than Arlen. I'm not surprised she didn't go that route.

I agree, Loh. It appears to me she is leaving on her own terms and telling those who doubted her Republican credentials to go pound sand. Her favorable numbers linked in my above post, plus these tend to support Loh's and my speculation that Snowe did not face much threat of losing re-election.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/0 ... n-new-poll

Zorba -- some of my best friends are Republicans.

Some.

Noted expert on the Senate:

http://www.orlytaitzesq.com/?p=32378

I was wrong. RCP moved Maine from "Leans Republican" to "Leans Democrat".
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... e_map.html

Wow!

Up here in Maine I've gotten many emails in the past few hours -- there seems to be a lot of energy behind a 'Draft Chellie Pingree' movement -- e.g., http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/ ... ftpingree/

Chellie Pingree was on Maddow tonight. I think she's gonna run. She said she was seriously considering it.

It was an interesting segment about how politics has been steadily moving right. I missed some of the interview with Pingree, but she comes on at about halfway through the segment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp ... 7#46581797

Olympia Snowe has been a great senator and I regret her (well thought out) decision to not seek reelection, but opening up the Maine senatorial contest is likely gonna benefit teh Dems.

That said, come late January 2013 President Obama is gonna need a Secretary of State to replace Hillary since she plans to step down. Hmmm...SOS Snowe? And come 2016 Elizabeth Warren is gonna need a running mate. Since the Republic ( ) party is in its death throes now, who can say that a Warren/Snowe ticket wouldn't be just what the doctor ordered for 2016?

<Highlighting mine>

It appears there will not be a major Democratic primary contest for Maine's open Senate seat.

http://www3.atr.rollcall.com/maine-mich ... or-senate/

Former Gov Angus King (I-ME) announced his candidacy for the open Senate seat.

Unlike Real Clear Politics who rates this race as "Leans Democratic", Roll Call rates it as a Toss Up.

With whom would King caucus if elected?

I was wondering about that myself. I'll ask around.

We may not yet know whom King wants to caucus with, but we now know which party his supporters want him to caucus with should he be elected.


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... -3142.html
No surprise, Real Clear Politics has moved the race from "Leans Democratic" to "Toss Up".

I too am interested hearing what Skeppie has found out.