Turning down the scrappy, Southie-bred role of a lifetime, Ben Affleck has announced he will not run for Senate in Massachusetts.

The actor-turned-director made the decision official on his personal Facebook page on Christmas Eve, saying flatly: “I love Massachusetts and our political process, but I am not running for office.”

Affleck added that “it’s a privilege” to support charities addressing wounded veterans, hunger in the US, and the situation in Congo, and directed readers to those websites.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry has been nominated for Secretary of State, and is expected to be confirmed. (However, Kerry is the third person to be mentioned for the job, in what has been an unusually contentious nomination process.)

Affleck had long been rumored as a contender, and did not deny the possibility during a recent appearance on Meet The Press.

Remaining possible candidates include soon-to-be ex-Sen. Scott Brown, as well as several Democratic congressmen.

[via Mediaite]

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