Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack has let it be known he will not be a candidate to fill the open seat being vacated by a retiring Tom Harkin. Des Moines Register: Tom Vilsack has ruled out running for U.S. Senate in 2014, clearing the way for the early Democratic frontrunner, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, to press forward and raise money for what's expected to be one of the most fiercely competitive races in the country. "He will not seek the open seat," Matt Paul, a longtime Vilsack aide, told The Des Moines Register this morning. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, a 73-year-old Democrat, announced in late January that he intends to retire in two years after 40 years in Congress. The Register's most recent Iowa Poll stirred up buzz about a possible Senate bid by Vilsack, a former Iowa governor who is now a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet. The Feb. 3-6 poll shows 56 percent of Iowans say they think Vilsack would be an appealing Senate candidate, while 35 percent say...(Read Full Post)