It’s looking increasingly likely that Sen. John Kerry has the nomination for secretary of State pretty well locked up, and in the event that he steps down, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will have to appoint an interim replacement to steward his Senate seat before the Bay State can hold a special election later this spring or summer. Ed wondered this morning if we mightn’t be looking at another failed presidential candidate as Kerry’s placeholder in the meantime, but according to Dukakis himself, that won’t be the case. Via CBS News:

Former Gov. Michael Dukakis says he will not be a candidate for appointment as interim senator should Sen. John Kerry resign to accept appointment as secretary of state.

In a brief State House interview, Dukakis told WBZ News: “I’m headed for the West to teach,” alluding to his annual spring-semester teaching duties at UCLA. “That’s a no,” said Dukakis in reference to a possible appointment by Gov. Deval Patrick to fill the seat until a special election can be held. Dukakis also said he had not been contacted by the governor’s office in regard to a possible appointment.

So, “that’s a no” for that former governor, but CNN has more on some of the possible candidates for both the temporary appointment and/or the special election. And, for any Scott Brown fans in the audience, “we may obviously meet again”; it wouldn’t be his first successful special election, but probably an uphill battle after his rough loss to Elizabeth Warren: