Sen. Olympia J. Snowe to retire

The decision by the moderate Republican from Maine represented a major setback for the GOP’s efforts to regain a majority in the Senate.

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Feb. 20, 1989

Then-Maine Gov. John R. "Jock" McKernan and then-Rep. Snowe are interviewed about their wedding plans.

Pat Wellenbach / AP

Feb. 25, 1989

Gov. John R. "Jock" McKernan stands with his bride, Snowe, outside the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church after being married in Lewiston, Maine.

Pat Wellenbach / AP Photo

Nov. 9, 1994

Olympia J. Snowe, as a new senator-elect, smiles at a post-election news conference at her Portland, Maine, campaign headquarters. Snowe defeated Rep. Tom Andrews (D) to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D).

Carl D. Walsh / AP

Dec. 13, 2000

Dick Cheney, as incoming vice president, shakes hands with Snowe as he meets with a group of moderate Republican senators in the U.S. Capitol.

Ray Lustig / The Washington Post

March 20, 2002

From left, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.) and Snowe discuss the Senate's passage of a campaign finance bill.

Susan Biddle / The Washington Post

Aug. 6, 1997

Maine's other senator, Susan Collins (R), left, and Snowe participate in a meeting about the closing of the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant.

David McClain / AP

Sept. 23, 2009

From left, Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), Snowe and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) listen as a Senate Finance Committee member makes a statement during the markup session of the health-care overhaul legislation.

Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post

Sept. 29, 2009

Snowe, with Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), was the one of the only Senate Republicans to help craft bipartisan health-care legislation during President Obama's 2009-10 push to overhaul the health-care system, but she ultimately opposed the bill.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Oct. 13, 2009

Snowe speaks with the media after the Senate Finance Committee passed the health-care bill in a 14 to 9 vote.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Sept. 25, 2009

“Unfortunately, I do not realistically expect the partisanship of recent years in the Senate to change over the short term,” said Snowe, shown in 2009, in announcing her planned retirement.

Susan Walsh / AP

Oct. 22, 2009

Snowe, left, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) walk together at the Capitol. Collins was the only Republican senator to vote with Democrats more than Snowe last year.

Harry Hamburg / AP

April 26, 2010

Snowe speaks to reporters after a crucial test vote for the bill to overhaul Wall Street and the financial system.

Charles Dharapak / AP

Jan. 25, 2011

Snowe, left, and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) sit together during President Obama's State of the Union address.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Feb. 11, 2011

Snowe talks to customers during a visit to Becky's Diner in Portland, Maine.

Matthew Cavanaugh / For The Washington Post

Feb. 11, 2011

Snowe talks with a career consultant during a tour of a career center in Portland, Maine.

Matthew Cavanaugh / For The Washington Post

June 27, 2007

Snowe, shown in 2007. Independent Angus King won the November election for her seat and announced he would caucus with the Democratic party -- a setback for GOP efforts to regain the Senate.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

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