All of our recent discussions of Rep. Mark Kirk, Illinois Republican, are moot, as there is now word he is NOT running for the Senate.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee must be bummed, while the National Republican Campaign Committee, which organizes House candidates, can breathe a sigh of relief.

UPDATE: Well, somebody botched this: “Kirk told Roll Call over the phone Friday that he was still discussing the race with McKenna going into the weekend and that a published Washington Post report that he was dropping out of the race was incorrect.”