Yeah, looks like you’re right. I saw no expected follow-up articles on Kerrey’s alleged exit and with the Politics1 report of Hassebrook’s exit and endorsement of Kerrey today, something definitely smelled fishy. Still, I cannot believe Kerrey will follow through with this race given his horrible polling numbers. At least Mondale ran a decent race as a replacement candidate in MN after Wellstone’s death. This could be on par with the Dick Snelling-Pat Leahy 1986 race in VT or the Mark Warner-Jim Gilmore 2008 VA race in a mismatch of first tier challengers. Hassebrook would, ironically, probably get a higher % of the vote given that he is lesser known and not as polarizing.
Hasselbrook has a lower floor, but also a lower ceiling than Kerrey. Kerrey *could* win, but he is far likelier to lose big.