Democrats hoping to keep their narrow Senate majority in the 2012 elections got some more bad news yesterday — freshman Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia abruptly announced plans to retire at the end of his term.
Webb — a Democrat who narrowly won the seat in 2006 — joins US Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota as the second Senate Democrat to announce retirement ahead of 2012.
In addition, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent who typically caucuses with the Dems, also recently announced he isn’t running for office again.
Democrats currently hold a 51-47 Senate majority, with two independents, including Lieberman, caucusing with the party.
Making matters more difficult in 2012, there are 23 Democratic seats up for grabs, compared to just 10 for Republicans.
Webb called it a “great” privilege to serve in the Senate but said he wanted to return to the private sector.
He didn’t give a reason, but his sudden withdrawal left the Republicans, emboldened by successes in the midterm elections, positively giddy.
Virginia is now an “even stronger pickup opportunity for Republicans in 2012,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee said in a statement.