Arizona Senate: Kyl to Announce Retirement

Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) will “announce at 10 a.m. Thursday whether he will seek a fourth term in 2012,” the Arizona Republic reports.

Kyl will reveal his intentions at a quickly convened news conference at a Phoenix hotel. Kyl had kept a tight lid on his decision, leaving even many former advisers in the dark.

Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time if you want to figure out the conversion for your area.

Update: According to POLITICO, Senator Kyl will “announce his retirement at a press conference in Arizona Thursday morning.”

A few notes from his press conference:

• Kyl said he is done with political office, but did make it clear he would be interested in being a vice presidential candidate if chosen. He pegged the chances of that happening at “zero.”
• Perhaps most interestingly, Kyl indicated that he may get together with other retiring Senate members to form a caucus group of sorts that could take the lead on tough issues. Immigration reform may be included.