Tammy Duckworth exploring Senate run against Mark Kirk

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

In November I reported that Rep. Tammy Duckworth D-Ill. was interested in running against Sen. Mark Kirk R-Ill. in 2016 and as she is winding up her maternity leave, she is exploring further a Senate bid.

“She’s definitely taking a hard look at it,” said a Duckworth confidant. Duckworth is starting to huddle with strategists and consider what it would take to mount a statewide campaign. The confidant said Duckworth, now that her baby is a few months old, is turning to exploring a bid.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Senate Democratic political shop and EMILY’s List, the major Democratic group focused on female contenders, is also talking about a Duckworth run.

Duckworth has been off on maternity leave, giving birth to her daughter on Nov. 18. She was in Washington earlier in the month for a day to be sworn-in for a second term. She intends to be back at work in the district mid-February and back in the Capitol by the end of next month.

Tammy Duckworth (Democrat-Rahm Emanuel) in the news.