Kirk, of Northbrook, says he would have been a candidate for the Senate had the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation calling for a special election to fill Obama's vacant seat.
A self-described political moderate, Kirk said he had not made a decision whether to run for the seat in 2010. He said having Burris in the Senate for the next two years would be a constant reminder to Illinois voters of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Kirk said politically, for Republicans, Burris would be "the gift that keeps on giving."