Senate races

The Iowa Republican tweeted that a Senate race takes him out of "urgent battles in Congress."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a prominent conservative leader, has endorsed former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds's bid for Senate.

The widow of former Senate president pro tempore Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) released a statement Friday backing Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in her Democratic primary challenge of Sen. Brian Schatz.

Schatz was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Neil Abercrombie after Inouye died last December, despite a letter from Inouye stating his preference that Hanabusa be appointed to his seat.

“Shortly after she was elected President of the Hawaii State Senate, Dan recognized that Colleen was more than capable of succeeding him and he began to mentor her,” Irene Hirano Inouye said in a statement. “His last wish was that Colleen serve out his term because he was confident in her ability to step into the Senate and immediately help Hawaii. I am honoring one of his last requests, and look forward to supporting Colleen on the campaign trail.”

According to Public Policy Polling, Rep. Ed Markey (D) takes 44 percent support to Gabriel Gomez's (R) 40 percent.

Michelle Obama will appear at a Boston fundraiser for Rep. Edward Markey, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Massachusetts, according to the Boston Globe.

Democratic Rep. Colleen Hanabusa on Thursday said she would mount a primary challenge to Sen. Brian Schatz.

Rep. Edward Markey, a Democratic nominee for Senate in Massachusetts, is hammering his Republican opponent Gabriel Gomez as "just another Republican" in a new Web video.

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) on Wednesday announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).

"I have a conservative voting record, but I come from an area that’s not necessarily Republican,” Kingston told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And I can work with the other party and do that without selling out our philosophy.”

Kingston is the third Republican congressman to enter the rapidly crowding Senate field. Reps. Phil Gingrey and Paul Broun have also announced their bids. Rep. Tom Price is also apparently considering a bid for the GOP nomination.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat now held by retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

Northey, who has served as the top agriculture official in the state for a decade, is the second prominent Republican in the past two weeks to opt against a run. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced last Tuesday that she would not seek the seat.

Stephanie Schriock is leaving the door open to running for retiring Sen. Max Baucus's seat in Montana.