Senator Mike Johanns, a Nebraska Republican who is in his first term, is joining another Republican, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, and three Democrats — Tom Harkin of Iowa, Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey and John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia — in heading for the exit.

From The New York Times:

 Senator Mike Johanns, a Nebraska Republican who is in his first term, announced on Monday that he would not seek re-election next year, the fifth lawmaker to bow out of a Senate that has become increasingly polarized and dysfunctional.

Mr. Johanns, a soft-spoken former Nebraska governor and agriculture secretary in the George W. Bush administration, appeared well positioned to be re-elected and was not on any Democratic target list. But last year, he angrily criticized conservative groups that tried to step in and influence the Senate election in his state. And his efforts as part of the “Gang of Eight” to broker a bipartisan accord on deficit reduction proved fruitless.

 

Nebraska’s other Senate seat came open last year with the retirement of a Democrat, Ben Nelson. And despite the return of former Senator Bob Kerrey as the Democratic candidate, a relative political newcomer, Deb Fischer, cruised to victory as a Republican standard-bearer.

Mr. Johanns is joining another Republican, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, and three Democrats — Tom Harkin of Iowa, Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey and John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia — in heading for the exit.

With former Senator John Kerry’s move to secretary of state, the rash of retirements will hasten a wholesale makeover of a Senate that was once far more stable.