CNN is reporting that John Cornyn will run for whip, a position that will be vacated when Arizona senator John Kyl’s term expires at the end of 2012. If Republicans were to win control of the Senate in 2012, which political pundits believe is likely due to the large number of vulnerable Democratic seats, and Cornyn were to win the contest for whip, he would be majority whip. From the CNN Web site: “Let there be no mistake, Sen. Cornyn is running for whip,” a senior Cornyn aide told CNN.  Cornyn currently serves as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, now the number three Republican in the Senate, announced Thursday that he too will run for the position. Sources close to South Dakota Sen. John Thune tell CNN he is likely to make a play for the post if he doesn’t run for president. Thune will announce his plans later in February. [After posting this item, I saw that the Texas Tribune had a brief mention of Cornyn’s intentions via Politico.]