Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) announced that she would not be running for reelection after serving three terms. She indicated that her decision not to run again stemmed from the increased partisanship of the Senate.
Snowe stated, “I do find it frustrating that an atmosphere of polarization and ‘my way or the highway’ ideologies has become pervasive in campaigns and in our governing institutions…Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term. So at this stage of my tenure in public services, 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.”
Snowe’s decision not to run for reelection will hinder Republicans in their efforts to regain a majority in the Senate.
New York Times 2/28/12; Washington Post 2/28/12
