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AP sources: Burris won't run for full Senate term

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U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., acknowledges his supporters before announcing Friday, July 10, 2009, in Chicago that he will not run for a full term in 2010, making official the end of a short Senate career clouded by questions about his appointment by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Burris, the only black U.S. senator, said he was bowing out because of the high cost of raising money for a campaign. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., acknowledges his supporters before announcing Friday, July 10, 2009, in Chicago that he will not run for a full term in 2010, making official the end of a short Senate career clouded by questions about his appointment by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Burris, the only black U.S. senator, said he was bowing out because of the high cost of raising money for a campaign. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Roland Burris, whose deep ties to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich seemed to doom his Senate tenure from the start, will not run for a full Senate term in 2010. The move increases Democrats' chances of holding on to the former Senate seat of President Barack Obama.

Burris has begun informing fellow Democrats about his decision and is expected to make an announcement on Friday, a Democratic official and a friend of Burris' told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because Burris has yet to discuss his decision publicly.

Burris issued a press release on Thursday evening that said he planned a "major announcement" at an event in Chicago on Friday.

Burris was appointed by disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who weeks before had been arrested in part on allegations he tried to sell the Senate seat. Burris' appointment was criticized from the moment it was announced and prompted immediate calls for him to resign.

He repeatedly changed his story about the circumstances of his appointment, first claiming he never offered anything to Blagojevich, then admitting he tried - and failed to raise money for the then-governor.

A wiretap that was released later showed Burris bartering with Robert Blagojevich, the former governor's brother and a top adviser.

A friend of Burris said Burris decided not to run because it would be impossible to change public perception of him without spending huge amounts of money. The friend said Burris doesn't believe he did anything wrong but acknowledged he faced a difficult task in getting elected.
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