Casey will stay in Senate, is not mulling run for Pennsylvania governor

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) will stay in the Senate and isn't considering a 2014 run against Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R), he told The Hill on Tuesday.

"I'm happy with the work I'm doing and I want to stay in the Senate, it's as simple as that," he said after walking out of Democrats' weekly Senate luncheon.

The newly reelected senator had triggered speculation about the race late last week, when he said at a New York City event for Pennsylvania lawmakers that he didn't want to talk about 2014 yet.

"If I start speaking to a race in 2014 that's as if we're focused on 2014 instead of 2012,” he said last week, before adding that he was "really happy where I am."

Casey told The Hill that the speculation came because "reporters kind of fill in the blanks on you when you don't make some grand statement." When asked if he was completely ruling out a run, he responded that "If you rule something out that's predicated by you spending a lot of time considering it in the first place."

The Hill then asked if it's best to say that he wasn't considering it.

"Right," he said with a laugh. "You actually said it better than I did."

Casey's decision creates one less concern for Senate Democrats, who are defending a number of swing- and red-state seats in the upcoming election, though if he had decided to run he could have remained in the Senate while doing so.

Corbett is expected to face a tough reelection race, but Casey, who is well-known statewide, could have made the race even more difficult. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) and former Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.) are also reportedly interested in running for governor.

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