Rep. Mike Capuano Won't Run for Senate

Rep. Mike Capuano, who has said he’d consider a run for John Kerry’s seat if he were appointed Secretary of State, definitively ruled out a campaign Tuesday. “After careful consideration, I have decided not to enter the race for US Senate,” he told reporters in a statement. The news is undoubtedly happy for Ed Markey, still the only Democrat to declare in the special election race, but it’s not entirely surprising. Earlier this week, Barney Frank said he didn’t think Capuano would run, nor did an unnamed source “close to” Capuano cited by WBUR. Taken alongside news that State Senator Ben Downing won’t be running and the field of potential candidates we saw floated early in the speculation game really seems to be clearing without giving Markey much of a fight.