Scott Brown Will Pass on Senate Run

Scott Brown has decided against running for John Kerry's Senate seat in the upcoming special election, he confirmed today in a text message to the Boston Herald. "U are the first to know," his text read. The move all but dashes the GOP's hopes of retaking the seat. Top candidates for the nomination include former governor William Weld or former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey, the Boston Globe reports.

The Washington Post also floats openly gay former state senator Richard Tisei, who said in a recent interview that he was open to a run. But whoever the GOP turns to will likely be an underdog to whoever emerges from the Democratic primary, which is shaping into a competitive race between House reps Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch. Republicans had tried mightily to convince Brown to run, but he reportedly told them he was exhausted from his 2010 and 2012 runs. (Or maybe he was exhausted from too much drunk tweeting?)