Feingold Aide: He’s not Running for President

Talk has arisen that Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold (pictured), defeated in his re-election bid Nov. 2, might challenge President Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2012. But Feingold’s chief of staff Mary Irvine has put the kibosh on that idea, The Hill reports.

Some political players in Washington think Obama is likely to face a liberal opponent in the primaries, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Thursday that Feingold might be the one.

Irvine’s response: “Senator Feingold is not running for president in 2012. Any suggestion he is thinking of running, planning to run or interested in running is untrue. Senator Feingold is a strong supporter of President Barack Obama and wants to see him reelected in 2012.”