One of the few remaining sane Republicans in the Senate has had it.  Another case of the party left her I would guess.

Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe will not seek reelection in 2012, she announced Tuesday.

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.”

This is a blow to the Republicans’ hope to take back the Senate.  Like in many parts of the country the Maine Republican party has been taken over by tea party wingnuts.

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.

Perhaps they can get Christine O’Donnell to move to Maine.  The lunatics are taking over the asylum and the sane people are running to the exits.  Can Dick Lugar be far behind?

Cross posted at Newshoggers