Rep. Julia Carson, an Indianapolis Democrat first elected in 1996, announced she will retire from Congress today after disclosing that she has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer this weekend. Carson has not been in Washington since September, when she was hospitalized with an infection.

Carson's chief of staff told the Associated Press that she hopes to be back in Washington after the New Year.

Carson has faced several close races in recent years, despite the strong Democratic tilt of her Indianapolis-based district. Her poor health largely prevented her from campaigning, and she's won by fewer than ten points even as John Kerry carried the district by sixteen and Al Gore won by twelve points.

Republicans are interested in the seat, but it would likely be an uphill battle with Carson out of the race. Still, the GOP did well in and around the city in 2007, when a virtually unknown Republican knocked off powerhouse Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson and the GOP took control of the county council.