Whither Olympia Snowe?

Only 28% of Maine Republicans think that Olympia Snowe should really be a Republican. Accordingly, while her two named primary opponents so far have a combined 30% name recognition, she only gets 43% against their combined 28%, prior to any sort of campaign. All of this makes you think that it would be tricky for Senator Snowe to win the Republican nomination. Maybe she could do it, especially if the Tea Party opposition fails to coalesce around one candidate. But it's unlikely. However, if she runs as an independent, she wouldn't just lead, she'd be getting a majority against a Democrat and a Tea Party Republican. So it looks like if she bolts from the Republican Party and runs as an independent, she'd have a very good chance indeed of winning re-election.

But what would she do? That's what I wonder. If 2013 dawns with Sen. Olympia Snowe (I-ME) sitting in the middle of the Senate, how will she vote? Suppose she were actually the marginal vote determining control of the chamber: would she support the party that kicked her out of a primary? Or the party that's been running candidates against her every six years since she got elected? I think you have the potential for one hell of an interesting dynamic here.