The Washington Post reports that New Mexico's Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman is expected to announce today that he will retire rather than seek a sixth senate term, for which he was considered a shoo-in.
This brings to four the number of incumbent senate Democrats who will not seek reelection, with two Republicans having announced the same decision.
Calling it a day are Democrats Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut (technically an Independent, but a Democrat-turned-Independent who caucuses with the Democrats), and Jim Webb of Virginia.
On the Republican side, serving their final terms voluntarily are Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona.
Democrats still have to be favored for the New Mexico seat, but not to the extent that Bingaman would have been.
Of the six who will retire only two might have been expected to face *very* difficult times in reelection attempts: Jim Webb and Joe Lieberman.
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