Quote:

---

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine announced Tuesday she will retire rather than seek re-election this year, surprising colleagues and perhaps casting the future of her seat in doubt.

The decision was made "after an extraordinary amount of reflection and consideration," she said in a statement.

Snowe, who turned 65 last week, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1978 and then to the Senate in 1994. She is the first woman to serve in both chambers of a state legislature and the U.S. Congress.

Snowe was known as a moderate who sometimes sided with Democrats in the increasingly partisan environment of Washington politics.

Her statement cited the partisan divide.

"I have no doubt I would have won re-election," Snowe said, describing her political service in Maine and Washington as "an indescribable honor and immeasurable privilege."

While her motivation and sense of responsibility remain, she continued, "I do find it frustrating, however, 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," Snowe said. "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."

Initial reaction from colleagues indicated Snowe's decision was unexpected.

"I was surprised. I know that she's been quite frustrated with the lack of civility in Washington and the fact that she's a bridge builder -- and it was more and more difficult to do that. But we were all surprised here in Maine that she would make the decision," said Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster. "It's going to shake things up in Maine politics."

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, said she was "devastated" to learn of Snowe's decision not to seek re-election.

"I know this was an incredibly difficult decision for Olympia," said Collins, who lauded Snowe as "a leader who sought solutions, not political advantage."

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York expressed surprise at the news when told by CNN.

"We'll miss her," Schumer said. "She's a good, good lady and an example of ... sometimes how the roughness of the political world can affect things. She's great, and she'll be missed by people on both sides of the aisle." http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/politics/senate-snowe-retiring/index.htm
l

---