By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, announced today he will not seek re-election this year.

Snyder, 62, said in a prepared statement he decided not to run because he wants to spend more time with his family. He and his wife, Betsy, have a 3-year-old son and 1-year-old triplet boys.

“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. That honor will now pass to someone else at the conclusion of this term,” Snyder said.

Snyder said he hired a campaign manager two weeks ago but later changed his mind about running. He said he did not know what he would do next.

“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.

A doctor, lawyer and Vietnam veteran, Snyder was a state senator when he was first elected to Congress in 1996 to represent the 2nd District of Central Arkansas. He has comfortably won re-election over the years, though rarely in a landslide.

After his wife bore triplets in December 2008, Snyder brushed aside speculation that he might leave Congress and said he would seek re-election. He had no opponent in the May Democratic primary.

But political polls over the past several months showed the Democrat’s support lagging. Snyder’s announcement Friday came barely 24 hours after release of an FDL/SurveyUSA Poll showing he trailed Republican Tim Griffin by 17 points.

Griffin, who served briefly as U.S. attorney during the Bush administration, said he appreciated Snyder’s service, in uniform and in Congress. He said he would “continue to build the campaign and be ready for whoever the nominee is on the other side.”

Two others have announced to run for the GOP primary, Little Rock restaurateur Scott Wallace and former insurance project manager David Meeks of Conway.

Mariah Hatta, executive director of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, said Snyder’s announcement was a surprise. Since the news broke, several people interested in running for Snyder’s seat have contacted the party, she said, declining to divulge any names.

“I absolutely have no doubt whatsoever that we will field a strong candidate,” Hatta said, adding the party was not concerned about the race since the 2nd District historically has been the most Democratic-voting district in the state.

A spokesman for Lt. Gov. Bill Halter deflected questions about whether Halter, who has been coy about a possible Democratic challenge to U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, might run for the U.S. House instead. Halter has said he is raising money for a re-election bid.

“This is Congressman Snyder’s day and not a day for Lt. Gov. Halter to be speculating on his political future,” Halter spokesman Garry Hoffmann said.

State Sen. Tracy Steele, D-North Little Rock, said he was already getting support for a congressional bid.

“My e-mail and telephone have been blowing up, full, people already encouraging me,” Steele said.

“Certainly there are some very important folks that I want to talk to first, but right now I have my sight set on going back to the House of Representatives — that’s the Arkansas House of Representatives,” he said.

One of Snyder’s House colleagues, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, said he was “saddened” by work that Snyder was leaving Congress.

“I served with Vic for six years in the Arkansas state Senate and 10 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I’ve always respected and considered him a personal friend,” Ross said. “I will continue to work with Vic on issues important to Arkansas for the remainder of his term. He will be deeply missed by all of his colleagues.”

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Arkansas News Bureau reporter Rob Moritz contributed to this report.