The Omaha World-Herald reports this morning that Senator Chuck Hagel is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not be running for president:
Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.
Hagel plans to announce that "he will not run for re-election and that he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008," said one person, who asked not to be named.
Hagel has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Monday at the Omaha Press Club.
According to one person interviewed, Hagel told Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Friday morning that he had decided to retire. Hagel's staff learned of his decision that afternoon.
Some of the names being thrown around right now to replace Hagel on the Republican side include former governor and current U.S. agriculture secretary Mike Johanns, former Omaha Mayer Hal Dubb, a Columbus businessman named Tony Raimondo, and Attorney General Jon Bruning. On the Democratic side, former Senator Bob Kerrey has voiced interest in returning to the Senate, Omaha Mayer Mike Fahey, and Scott Kleeb, who ran an unsuccessful campaign against Republican Adrian Smith in the 3rd Congressional District in 2006.
UPDATE: Chris Cillizza comments that this "creates a potentially competitive open seat, with former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) and former Gov. Mike Johanns (R) -- two titans of Cornhusker politics -- mentioned prominently as his replacement." Johanns currently is the Secretary of Agriculture. Kerrey is President of the New School in New York.
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