The Jackson Clarion Ledger reports that former Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore said Thursday he would not seek to replace Sen. Trent Lott , R-Miss., in next year’s special Senate election. Moore was one of the top potential Democratic contenders for the seat; the GOP nominee is likely to be whoever Gov. Haley Barbour nominates to replace Lott, who has said he would resign by the end of the year. “I am happy doing what I am doing, my family is happy, and I look forward to making a big difference in my state and nation,” Moore said in a statement. “I have seriously considered the U.S. Senate vacancy as my friends urged me to do, but I have always known that what I am doing now is good enough for me.”

Houston television station KHOU reports that power struggles among Republicans in Texas’ Fort Bend County are threatening the GOP’s chances of retaking the House seat once held by former Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Nine Republicans are seeking the seat and a 10th is considering a run against Rep. Nick Lampson , D-Texas. Meanwhile, key GOP leadership posts are vacant and the last two local party chairmen have resigned. “They’ve lost focus of who they are and what their responsibility is,” DeLay told the station. “I’m concerned — very concerned.”

The Peoria Journal Star reports that Rep. Ray LaHood , R-Ill., said he won’t take sides in the race to replace him next year. LaHood, who is retiring at the end of his current term, noted that his son, Darin LaHood, is running as a Republican for Peoria County state’s attorney against incumbent Democrat Kevin Lyons. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt Darin’s chances for state’s attorney and make people mad,” the elder LaHood said. LaHood wrote all three candidates on Nov. 5 asking them to seek his permission before using his name or image.