Richard Blumenthal (gov)

A former Connecticut U.S. Attorney is slated to declare his candidacy to succeed Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) after the senator formally announces today that he will not run for reelection, the Associated Press reported today.

Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, was the state’s U.S. Attorney from 1977 to 1981. He also served in the state house from 1984 to 1987 and the state senate from 1987 to 1990. Blumenthal has been the state attorney general since 1991.

Dodd, who has spent more than three decades in Congress, will hold a news conference at noon today. He is expected to announce that he will not seek reelection and that Blumenthal will be running for the Democratic nomination to replace him, the AP reported.

Blumenthal told the AP that he has been eying a Senate run for years despite talk that he might run for the Democratic nomination for governor to replace Gov. Jodi Rell (R), who is retiring. Blumenthal said, “The United States Senate has been a longtime public service goal, and I would be proud and honored to have the opportunity to serve the people of Connecticut … in the Senate.”

Democrat Merrick Alpert, a software executive and former aide to Vice President Al Gore, has already thrown his hat into the race. Democrat Roger Pearson, an attorney and former Greenwich, Conn., first selectman, may also run, according to Politcs1.com.

On the other side of the aisle, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, stockbroker and anti-tax activist Peter Schiff and former Rep. Rob Simmons are running for the seat. Simmons had recently been polling ahead of Dodd, according to the AP.

This post has been corrected from an earlier version.

UPDATE: Below is the video of Dodd’s news conference:

Kevin J. O'Connor (Bracewell and Giuliani)

Kevin O’Connor, a former U.S. Attorney in Connecticut and ex-Associate Attorney General, on Thursday announced he will not seek the Republican nomination for governor of Connecticut next year, WFSB, a Hartford television station, reports. The announcement came as O’Connor taped “Face the State,” a political program on WFSB that will air on Sunday.

Last week, Gov. Jodi Rell (R) announced that she will not seek re-election next year and mentioned O’Connor as a possible successor, calling him one of several qualified Republicans; however, she declined to endorse anyone.

O’Connor was the state’s top federal prosecutor from 2002 to April 2008. From January 2006 to April 2006, he also briefly served simultaneously as Associate Deputy Attorney General. In addition, O’Connor in 2007 was then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales‘ chief of staff and in 2008 was confirmed by the Senate as Associate Attorney General. He currently is a partner at Bracewell & Giuliani in Hartford.

When announcing his decision, O’Connor cited family considerations, including his four young children, WFSB reports. He did not, however, rule out a future run for office, according to the television station.

Kevin J. O'Connor (Bracewell and Giuliani)

Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell (R), who on Monday announced that she will not seek re-election next year, has mentioned a former U.S. Attorney as a possible replacement, The Hartford Courant reports. Although Rell declined to endorse a candidate, she told The Courant there are several qualified Republicans, including former U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Connor.

O’Connor in 2002 was named U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, a position in which he served until April 2008. He also briefly served simultaneously as Associate Deputy Attorney General, from January 2006 to April 2006. In addition, O’Connor in 2007 was then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales‘ chief of staff and in 2008 was confimred by the Senate as Associate Attorney General. He currently is a partner at Bracewell & Giuliani in Hartford.

O’Connor told the Courant in July he was not interested in running, but Rell’s announcement alters the political landscape. He was the GOP nominee for the First District U.S. House seat in 1998, but lost by 17 percentage points to Democrat John B. Larson. O’Connor’s name has also been mentioned as a possible challenger to Democratic Sen. Christopher J. Dodd.

Although Rell has not issued an endorsement, Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele(R) on Monday night said the governor had said she would support him for the Republican nomination, The Courant reports. When asked about Fedele’s statement, Rell told The Courant, “He is one of many people right now that have expressed an interest. He hasn’t declared yet that he’s running.”

Gov. Jodi Rell

Rell also mentioned House Republican leader Lawrence Cafero and Senate GOP leader John McKinney. “They’re all great Republicans, and they’re all very competent,” Rell told The Courant. Cafero announced his candidacy before Rell announced her plans to leave politics; McKinney has not announced whether he will run.

Among potential Democratic candidates, Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz leads the pack, according to a poll released Tuesday by Quinnipiac University. She was favored by 26 percent of registered Democrats polled. She was followed by multimillionaire Ned Lamont, who was the Democratic nominee for Senate in 2006, with 23 percent. Lamont has not announced his candidacy for governor.

None of the other Democrats who have announced their candidacy reached double digits in the Quinnipiac poll. They include former state House Speaker Jim Amann, state Sen. Gary LeBeau, Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi.

The poll was conduced before Rell announced her intention not to seek re-election.