Arkansas Democrat Snyder Retiring
Arkansas Rep. Vic Snyder announced today he will not seek re-election this year, joining several other Democrats from moderate districts who are opting out of tough re-election campaigns.
Snyder, first elected in 1996, never won re-election with less than 58 percent. In 2008 he was not even challenged by a Republican, while John McCain won 54 percent in the district to President Obama's 44 percent -- an increase from 2004, when George W. Bush won by just a 51-48 margin.
In Arkansas, Democrats hold three of four House seats, both Senate seats and the governor's mansion. However, McCain carried the state with 59 percent, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln is in for the re-election battle of her career.
Snyder's 2nd District is surrounded by the state's three other districts and includes the capital city of Little Rock. While this is another good sign for Republicans -- and winning an open seat is often easier than defeating an incumbent -- Democrats do have potential candidates waiting in the wings, as The Hotline's Tim Sahd notes.
Here is his full statement: