GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson To Retire

Three-term moderate GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Texas) told supporters today that she will not seek reelection in 2012. Hutchinson was trounced in her 2010 bid to unseat Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Hutchison is one of the Republican Party's brightest stars, often appearing on political talk shows to press the GOP agenda. Still, she broke ranks during the health care debate and opposed an attempt to stall the bill in the Senate. But on most issues, she stands by her party. Just last month, she said she would not support the DREAM Act and voted against the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell." In 2006, she received more campaign contributions from members of large oil and gas corporations than any other member of Congress. Just this week, in a press release from her office, she "cautioned against putting American energy jobs at risk through new layers of bureaucracy recommended in the National Oil Spill Commission's report on the BP oil spill."

By waiting until her term expires, Hutchinson prevents Gov. Perry from selecting her replacement.