Beau Biden will not take over Joe Biden's Senate seat

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden says he plans to fulfill his National Guard duties and won't accept an appointment to his father's U.S. Senate seat.

The younger Biden has released a statement as his unit prepares to deploy to Iraq. Beau Biden says he hasn't sought and wouldn't accept an appointment to the Senate, and that he looks forward to returning to his job as attorney general after his service tour.

Biden was seen as a possible successor to his father, Democrat Joe Biden, who must resign his Senate seat before being sworn in Jan. 20 as vice president. Delaware's governor will appoint a new senator.

Speculation on Biden's replacement has centered on Lt. Gov. John Carney. He lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary in September to State Treasurer Jack Markell, who is now Delaware's governor-elect. Carney did not immediately return a telephone message Wednesday.

Biden, a captain and military lawyer in the signal unit, said in a statement he has not sought and would not accept an appointment to the Senate, and that he looks forward to returning to his job as attorney general after his service tour.

"I want to thank the people of Delaware for the honor of serving as their attorney general and express my appreciation for their understanding as I fulfill my military obligations," he said in the statement.

The statement may have been a formality, given that an Army spokesman previously was quoted as saying military policy would bar Biden from performing the duties of any elective office while on active duty, and that being the son of a vice president-elect would not lead to his deployment ending early.

Joe Biden was re-elected to the Senate earlier this month but must give up his seat before being sworn in Jan. 20 as vice president. Delaware's governor will appoint a new senator, who would serve for two years until the 2010 election, at which time the younger Biden, notwithstanding Tuesday's statement, could declare his candidacy.