The other day Jim wrote about Mark Kirk eyeing a Senate run in Illinois, but today there’s conflicting reports about his intentions, saying both that he has decided to opt out, but that it’s not set in stone and Republicans are still trying to get him to run. Kirk, a moderate to liberal Republican who voted for the national energy tax in the House last month, is seen as having the most realistic shot of taking the seat once held by President Obama and currently held by Roland Burris, who has said he will not run in 2010.



