U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder said Friday he will put his wife and young children first and not seek an eighth term as Arkansas’ 2nd District congressman.
Snyder, 62, leaves as his Democratic Party is trying to hold ground in this year’s midterm elections.
A family physician by trade before he went to Washington, Snyder was a bachelor when he took office in 1997 after six years in the state Senate.
Snyder had a generally liberal voting record in the House, standing against proposed federal bans on same-sex marriage and late-term abortions, and he voted for health care reform. Snyder backed Hillary Clinton for president and supported Bill Clinton during impeachment, as did other congressional Democrats from Arkansas.
Snyder has made it his custom to raise money only in election years, turning away from the year-round fundraising that many in Congress must pursue.
His politics have made him a target of Republican critics, but the GOP didn’t field a candidate two years ago. In 2006, Snyder beat a Republican challenger by 20 percentage points, though Snyder’s health care stance was thought to have weakened him this year.
Snyder was elected to the House in 1996, beating a prosecutor from Little Rock, Mark Stodola, now the city’s mayor.
In 2007, Snyder became chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He also serves on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services committees, as well as the Joint Economic Committee.
Snyder had no Democratic opposition in the upcoming primary, but Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said he believes the party can hold Snyder’s seat.
“We are confident that a Democrat who shares Congressman Snyder’s commitment to being an independent voice for addressing the economic challenges facing Arkansas’ middle class families will be the next representative from Arkansas’ 2nd District,” he said.
Snyder said he hired a campaign manager two weeks ago, but changed his mind about running after talking with family and close friends.
“It is the greatest professional honor of my life to represent Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I am so grateful to the people of Arkansas to have had this wonderful opportunity,” Snyder said.
Snyder and his wife have four young children, including a three-year-old son and a set of year-old triplets, all boys. Snyder is married to the Rev. Betsy Singleton, a Methodist minister.
Snyder served in Vietnam in the Marine Corps and, after becoming a doctor, earned a law degree, which he chalked up to intellectual curiosity.
He said his future professional life is an area of uncertainty.
“I have put very little thought into what the work side of my life will look like at the end of this term, although it is clear from observing how much our four little boys eat that I will be working for a long, long time,” he said
Three Republicans have been seeking their party’s nomination for the 2nd District.
Tim Griffin, a former interim U.S. attorney and Karl Rove aide, has been running since the fall for the Republican nomination. Also running are Little Rock restaurateur Scott Wallace and David Meeks of Conway, a former insurance project manager.
Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, a Democrat expected to seek higher office, stuck to praising Snyder on Friday.
“Vic’s constituents have always known where he stands on the issues. He takes principled stands on tough issues without regard to his political standing,” Halter said.
Sens. Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, both D-Ark., praised Snyder for his service, from his time in the Marine Corps to the present.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
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