Without Joe Kennedy, Field For Senate Seat Opens Up

Former Congressman Joseph Kennedy won't be running for his uncle's Senate seat.

Now that Kennedy is out of the race, several current members of Congress are expected to get in. Among those who have said they are considering running are Congressmen Michael Capuano, John Tierney and Ed Markey. One Republican, state Sen. Scott Brown, of Wrentham, said he is gauging how strong his support is.

"We are contacting people that have expressed an interest, seeing how real that interest is, and we should be making a more formal announcement, hopefully, on Thursday," Brown said.

Brown wants to wait until Thursday because he is the ranking Republican senator on the Elections Committee, which holds a hearing tomorrow to consider Democrats' proposal to have Gov. Deval Patrick appoint an interim successor to Senator Kennedy.