Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is expected to announce this morning that she will stay in the Senate for the remaining 33 months of her term, reversing repeated pledges made during her failed campaign for governor. Aides to Hutchison said late Tuesday that she would hold a news conference in San Antonio with her Texas Republican colleague, Sen. John Cornyn, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Though the statement made no mention of a topic, Hutchison has said frequently that she would leave the Senate before her term ends in 2012. Several state politicians have already declared their interest in running in a special election to replace her.
But Cornyn, McConnell, Gov. Rick Perry and every member of the Texas Republican delegation to the U.S. House have urged Hutchison to reconsider, saying her seniority and experience are too valuable for Texas to lose.
Senior GOP aides have confirmed that Hutchison plans to stay in the Senate, National Journal and Politico reported this morning.
Hutchison has not addressed reporters since her loss to Perry in the March 2 Republican primary for governor.
Aides to Cornyn and McConnell didn't respond late Tuesday to requests for information, though Cornyn, via Twitter, confirmed that he planned to appear in the morning with Hutchison.
