• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe to Retire

soccerboy22

DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
10,721
Reaction score
4,120
Location
A warm place
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Slightly Conservative
Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

In announcing her plans, Snowe, 65, emphasized that she is in good health and was prepared for the campaign ahead. But she said she was swayed by the increasing polarization in Washington.
“Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term,” Snowe 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.”
Snowe’s retirement represents a major setback for the GOP’s efforts to regain a majority in the Senate. As a moderate Republican, she may be the party’s only hope to hold a seat in the strongly blue state.

Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe to retire in blow to GOP - The Washington Post

Well, this is an interesting turn of events. She says it is because of increased partisan divide in the Senate, but it will put a wrench in the GOP's attempt to try and gain a majority in the Senate since Maine is a solidly blue state. However, it is safe to say this news came as a surprise.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

This make things much more difficult for the GOP to take the Senate. Now they have to defend Maine, Nevada, and Massachusetts, while also winning enough of North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Montana, Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida and New Mexico. Even if they keep all their seats, they still four of eight. If they lose Maine and Massachusetts, which seems fairly reasonable, they then have to win six of eight.

It's even worse now that Bob Kerry is considering running in Nebraska, although that would still seem to lean toward the Republicans.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

She always conducted herself with honor and dignity. A true public servant who should be congratulated for her many years of wonderful service.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

This make things much more difficult for the GOP to take the Senate. Now they have to defend Maine, Nevada, and Massachusetts, while also winning enough of North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Montana, Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida and New Mexico. Even if they keep all their seats, they still four of eight. If they lose Maine and Massachusetts, which seems fairly reasonable, they then have to win six of eight.

It's even worse now that Bob Kerry is considering running in Nebraska, although that would still seem to lean toward the Republicans.

I agree. I think the GOP can kiss its majority in the Senate good bye now.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

She always conducted herself with honor and dignity. A true public servant who should be congratulated for her many years of wonderful service.

Indeed. She is one of the remaining old school Republican Senators -- someone who's willing to reach across the aisle to get the job done.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

Good riddance.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

Damn! Just... damn. :(

She was a brilliant and ethical politician who knew the value of compromise, got things done and got along with both sides of the partisian divide. Quite frankly, I was hoping she'd throw her hat in the ring for a run at the GOP presidential nomination.

I'm sad. It's a major loss for any hope of sanity in the senate.
 
Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe to Retire

Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, R-Maine will not stand for re-election this fall. Snowe, one of the handful of moderates left in the Senate, is reportedly tired of the gridlock that has paralyzed Congress.
She was one of just three Republicans to support President Obama's stimulus package in 2009. Although she voted against the final health care bill in 2010, she was the only Republican Senator to vote for any version of the bill (she supported it in committee).

Her retirement is a big blow to Republican hopes of taking control of the Senate. With her seat almost certain to be picked up by a Democrat, Republicans would need to pick up a total of six seats (five if a Republican wins the White House) in order to take control of the Senate. Even in a good political year, this is a tough lift.

In a paper statement announcing her retirement Snowe said she does not "realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change."​


Looks like it is even more unlikely the GOP can get control of the senate. Not that that matters much because they can still just clog it up with a zillion filibusters as they always do anyhow.
 
Yeah, I just saw this in the "Breaking News" forum. Damn shame. She was one of the few brilliant and ethical politicians in D.C., a woman who got things done through compromise, and got along with both sides of the aisle. I had serious hopes that she'd run for the GOP presidential nomination.

This is really a loss to all Americans who yearn for a uncorrupted government of congressfolk who actually understand what it means to "serve the people".
 
Yeah, I just saw this in the "Breaking News" forum. Damn shame. She was one of the few brilliant and ethical politicians in D.C., a woman who got things done through compromise, and got along with both sides of the aisle. I had serious hopes that she'd run for the GOP presidential nomination.

This is really a loss to all Americans who yearn for a uncorrupted government of congressfolk who actually understand what it means to "serve the people".

I respect her and think she was a decent senator. Won't catch me saying that about very many Republicans.
 
Nooooooooooooooo.
 
Moderator's Warning:
Merged threads
 
yeah, that seat will likely go to a Dem...
there are 3 GOP senators retiring... the other 2 are pretty safe GOP seats though (AZ, and TX)
there are 7 Senate Democrats retiring...2 are pretty safe Dem seats, 1 is a toss up.. and 4 have a good change of going GOP.
( in total, Dems have 23 seats of for grabs, the GOP has 10)..... and somehow this is a "big blow to Republican hopes"?


not sure why the author of the article is forgetting to mention retiring Dems when it comes to prediction on who is going to control the Senate... but she should do a better job with her prognostications.
 
Great for the Dems, bad news for the moderate Republican voices in the Senate.
 
Great for the Dems, bad news for the moderate Republican voices in the Senate.

It's actually just bad news for Americans. She was an honorable woman who served the people, no matter what her party affiliation was. It doesn't matter whether she's replaced by another GOP or a Dem. It matters if she's replaced by another partisian hack... which is pretty much a given in this political climate.
 
Re: Senator Olympia Snowe to retire

this is the loss of a stateswoman, not a politician
while her feet may be small, she leaves huge shoes to fill
 
yeah, that seat will likely go to a Dem...
there are 3 GOP senators retiring... the other 2 are pretty safe GOP seats though (AZ, and TX)
there are 7 Senate Democrats retiring...2 are pretty safe Dem seats, 1 is a toss up.. and 4 have a good change of going GOP.
( in total, Dems have 23 seats of for grabs, the GOP has 10)..... and somehow this is a "big blow to Republican hopes"?


not sure why the author of the article is forgetting to mention retiring Dems when it comes to prediction on who is going to control the Senate... but she should do a better job with her prognostications.

True. I think it's pretty much a trade out retirement for Sen. Kent Conrad of ND which most likely will go Repub this year. I knew that more dems sens were up for reelection than repubs but I don't know much about the vulnerability of seats that are up for election other than these two.
 
yeah, that seat will likely go to a Dem...
there are 3 GOP senators retiring... the other 2 are pretty safe GOP seats though (AZ, and TX)
there are 7 Senate Democrats retiring...2 are pretty safe Dem seats, 1 is a toss up.. and 4 have a good change of going GOP.
( in total, Dems have 23 seats of for grabs, the GOP has 10)..... and somehow this is a "big blow to Republican hopes"?


not sure why the author of the article is forgetting to mention retiring Dems when it comes to prediction on who is going to control the Senate... but she should do a better job with her prognostications.
Even though the Democrats are defending 23 seats this election cycle, a majority of them are in Democratic safe or leaning states. Here is my rundown on how I view the elections:
Code:
[B]Safe[/B]                                      [B] Leaning [/B]                            [B]Steals                              [/B]
Dianne Feinstein - California              Bill Nelson - Florida               Claire McCaskill - Missouri
Tom Carper - Delaware                      Open - Wisconsin                    Jon Tester - Montana                                  
Ben Cardin – Maryland                      Open - New Mexico                   Open - Nebraska  
Debbie Stabenow – Michigan                 Sherrod Brown - Ohio                Open - North Dakota
Amy Klobuchar - Minnesota                                                      Open - Virginia
Bob Menendez - New Jersey
Kirsten Gillibrand - New York
Bob Casey, Jr. - Pennsylvania
Sheldon Whitehouse - Rhode Island
Bernie Sanders - Vermont
Maria Cantwell - Washington
Joe Manchin - West Virginia
Open - Connecticut
Open - Hawaii
Obviously, that is a very early analysis and depending on whom each party nominates for the general election could change how I view the election. New Mexico and Wisconsin are the two potential to change.

Now, in order to regain control of the Senate Republicans need a gain of a minimum of 3 senators. I expect that at worst they will be able to win at least 3 seats that Democrats hold at this time. The downside is that there is a real possibility that they could lose elections in Massachusetts, Nevada, and now Maine. Conservatives striving for party purity may be happy that she is retiring, but in the long term this is not going to help them in any way. The margin of error for Republicans just got a lot smaller now that Senator Snowe announced her retirement if they desire regaining control in the Senate.

With that said, this is a loss for American politics. Much like the disappearance of the conservative Democrat, she represented the last vestiges of the Rockefeller Republicans. The last thing the United States needs is to have fewer politicians in those two groups.
 
Even if the Democrats take her seat, I think it's a good thing that she goes. One thing that nobody likes is a Senator that cannot be trusted. One day she'll side with Democrats, the next day she'll side with the Republican.

I echo the other poster who said: Good Riddance!
 
Even if the Democrats take her seat, I think it's a good thing that she goes. One thing that nobody likes is a Senator that cannot be trusted. One day she'll side with Democrats, the next day she'll side with the Republican.

I echo the other poster who said: Good Riddance!

She served the people of Maine. No legislator is, or should be, beholden to the party line. If she voted consistently with her conscience and the will of her constituents (read: constituents, as in the people she represents, not just people who voted for her) in mind, that's all that matters :shrug:
 
I also echo the other poster who said: Good Riddance.

I never liked that woman.
 
I also echo the other poster who said: Good Riddance.

I never liked that woman.

It is telling that the posters here saying good things about the Senator are normally identified as progressives and Democrats while those being snarky and outright mean to the Senator are conservatives, libertarians and those who are found voting Republican.

And we are accused of being partisan!?!?!?!? Amazing.
 
And we are accused of being partisan!?!?!?!? Amazing.

So are you saying conservatives should blindly support a politician just because he or she has an "R" behind the name?
 
So are you saying conservatives should blindly support a politician just because he or she has an "R" behind the name?

What I am saying is it is telling that the posters here saying good things about the Senator are normally identified as progressives and Democrats while those being snarky and outright mean to the Senator are conservatives, libertarians and those who are found voting Republican.

And we are accused of being partisan!?!?!?!? Amazing.
 
Now the party line will be divided.

She was one the face of the few Republican moderates in senate.

I guess it reflects the times in a way, as the Republican party is swinging more and more to the far right....
 
Back
Top Bottom