Sen. Jon Kyl to Retire

Arizona Senator Jon Kyl is expected to announce his retirement later today after serving three terms in the United States Senate.

Before his service in Washington, Kyl represented Arizona's Fourth District in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2008, he was unanimously elected as Republican Whip and currently serves on the Judiciary Committee.

Kyl has been a long time loyal advocate for conservative principles, a class act who will be sincerely missed on the Senate floor. I wish him well in his retirement as he will be able to spend more time with his wife, two children and seven grandchildren.

UPDATE (Guy): National Journal reports that Rep. Jeff Flake is expected to make a decision about running for Kyl's seat within a matter of days. Whispers at CPAC suggest he's leaning "yes." The Club for Growth is urging him to run.

UPDATE II (Guy): Sen. McConnell pays tribute to Kyl's leadership during his CPAC address, calling Kyl's retirement a loss for the country.

UPDATE III (Guy): Is Kyl angling for a Supreme Court nomination if a Republican is elected in 2012?