Jim Webb (D-VA) to Quit Senate Opening Door to GOP Takeover

Already two Democrats and Independent Lieberman announce they won't run in 2012. Three down, 20 to go!

One term Senator Jim Webb(D-VA) announced Wednesday he will not run again in 2012. That leaves the seat wide open for the return of George Allen, whom Webb defeated in 2006 with the help of an unscrupulous media campaign that repeated Allen's unfortunate "macaca" soundbite over and over instead of focus on the issues.

This comes after Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut also announced they will not run again. That leaves 20 Democrat incumbents up for re-election in 2012.

Republicans are likely to pick up the seats being vacated by Webb and Conrad as well as a handful of seats currently held by Democrats running in red states. A total pickup of four seats would give the GOP control of the U.S. Senate.

If the GOP retains control of the U.S. House of Representatives and retakes control of the Senate, that only leaves taking back the White House before we can roll back the worst excesses of Obama!