Pompeo tells McConnell he won't run for the Senate
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Monday that he does not plan to run for the US Senate seat in Kansas, a Republican familiar with the conversation told CNN, appearing to end months of speculation about Pompeo's political plans.
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That source said that although the filing deadline for Pompeo to run for the open seat in Kansas has not passed, the secretary of state told McConnell not to wait for him and the National Republican Senatorial Committee should assume he's not running.
The New York Times was first to report the news.
Pompeo's conversation with the Senate leader comes as the top US diplomat is grappling with foreign policy crises around the globe -- most notably the growing fallout from the US' deadly strike on a top Iranian commander in Iraq. It also comes ahead of a looming Senate trial following the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
A second source told CNN that Pompeo conveyed to McConnell that given everything going on, he did not want Republicans pinning their hopes on him, although McConnell made clear that Pompeo did not yet need to make up his mind. The filing deadline in Kansas is June 1.
A third Republican familiar with the matter said Pompeo "had been teetering for a while and almost made the call earlier in the year, but (national security adviser) John Bolton suddenly resigned, so he stayed." That source said that Pompeo did not entirely close the door on the matter, but told McConnell to seriously consider alternatives and act under the assumption that he is not running.
Pompeo was spotted on Capitol Hill on Monday leaving a classified briefing room. McConnell left shortly after. The Kentucky Republican declined to discuss the matter with CNN as he left the Senate floor.
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