Much has been made of the parade of Senate retirements in advance of the 2012 cycle, and rightly so. Nearly ten percent of the upper chamber's seats will be vacant next year -- a rarity. The simple math suggests that Democrats may have a tough time maintaining control of the Senate -- but could they win back the House? In light of the GOP landslide last year, prospects for a restored Democratic House majority seemed slim, but some party strategists now believe that goal is within reach. Their perceived golden ticket: Mediscare. Post NY-26, Democrats now have to net 24 seats to win back the House next year. In all likelihood, that task will get one seat harder today, as Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) is expected to announce his impending retirement later this afternoon:
Rep. Dan Boren, the only Democrat in Oklahoma's seven-person congressional delegation, will not run for re-election in 2012, leaving open a seat that spans much of eastern Oklahoma. Boren, 37, plans to make an official announcement at 2 p.m. Tuesday in his hometown of Muskogee.
He has served in the U.S. House since 2005. His predecessor in the 2nd District seat, Democrat Brad Carson, said Tuesday that he plans to run for the seat.