Gov. Bill Ritter (D) is expected to announce tomorrow that Denver Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet is his choice to fill the state's soon-to-be vacant Senate seat. Ritter will officially appoint Bennet after Sen. Ken Salazar gives up the seat and is sworn in as Interior Secretary. The Denver Post reports:

After an array of candidates put their names forward for selection, the choice came down to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper or Bennet, Hickenlooper's former chief of staff. After spending a long holiday weekend in the mountains last week, Ritter began to focus on Bennet. The two men then discussed the choice on New Year's Day and the pick was solidified, according to sources close to the process.

The New York Times notes that Bennet is the brother of James Bennet, current editor of The Atlantic magazine.