Another blow for Democrats' U.S. Senate majority

The Democrats’ situation is dire because 21 of the 33 seats up for election are Democrats, and party leaders consider only three of those all but certain winners. The other 21 face difficult challenges.

In this file photo, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democratic officials say Mr. Bingaman intends to retire next year rather than seek a new term. AP.

Democrats’ chances of holding on to their slim majority in the U.S. Senate after the 2012 elections took a hit on Friday with the announcement that yet another veteran Democratic member was retiring.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Senate fixture since 1982, will not run for re—election, his office announced on Friday. He is the third member of President Barack Obama’s Democrats to announce he was leaving the upper house of Congress. The party now holds a 53—47 majority, which includes the votes of two independents. One of those two, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, also is up for re—election next year and has announced he will not run.

Two Republican senators, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Jon Kyl, have announced their departure next year.

The Democrats’ situation is dire because 21 of the 33 seats up for election are Democrats, and party leaders consider only three of those all but certain winners. The other 21 face difficult challenges.