(CNN) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday that he does not plan to run for the US Senate seat in Kansas, sources familiar with the conversation told CNN, appearing to end months of speculation about Pompeo's political plans. A source close to McConnell confirmed the content of their Monday conversation, telling CNN that Pompeo "indicated he will not be running for Senate." "Leader McConnell believes Secretary Pompeo is doing an incredible job as secretary of state and is exactly where the country needs him to be right now," that source said. A second source told CNN that Pompeo conveyed to McConnell that given everything going on, he did not want Republicans pinning their hopes on him, although McConnell made clear that Pompeo did not yet need to make up his mind. Barbara Bollier, a Kansas state senator who recently left the Republican Party, is running as a Democrat for the US Senate in 2020.

Source: CNN January 06, 2020 23:32 UTC