UPDATED 1/30/13 12:56 AM: Markey kickoff details added.

The United States Senate confirmed Senator John Kerry to the post of Secretary of State this afternoon.  The vote was not even close, but included a few interesting no votes.  We will have more on Kerry’s confirmation tomorrow.  However, the wide bipartisan support Kerry enjoyed is a testament to the confidence that Kerry enjoys among his soon-to-be-former colleagues, transcending party.  Kerry will formally resign from the Senate Friday.  Gov. Deval Patrick will announce his interim replacement tomorrow.

However, also this evening, news broke that Representative Stephen Lynch will challenge fellow Representative Ed Markey for the Democratic nomination in the special election to replace Kerry.  WMassP&I confirmed with a Lynch spokesman shortly after 9 PM on Twitter that Lynch will kick off his campaign with a stop at O’Brien’s Corner on Page Boulevard Thursday at 9 AM.  A formal announcement will follow at 4 PM in Boston.

Blue Mass Group has a post that says Markey will formally kick off his campaign Saturday at 10 AM at the Malden YMCA.

Defeated former Senator Scott Brown, who now appears to have engaged the AP & the Boston Globe in media manipulation, now appears poised to run as well.  Polls have shown Brown ahead in a general election matchup, but those numbers are driven by Lynch and Markey’s low-name recognition.

Many Democrats had sought to avoid a primary in order to focus in on Brown, assuming he ran.  However, an alternative school of thought stands that if Lynch and Markey prosecute their primary wisely, it could prove an opportunity to raise their profiles.  That is only if they also do not bloody each other too much in the process.  Enter the word: wisely.