Via Swing State Project, we find a link to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's interview with WBAP-AM's Mark Davis this morning, in which the senator said she'll officially launch her gubernatorial campaign in August and then step down from the Senate "sometime October, November -- that time frame." According to the station's recap, in which she also casts a "no" vote for Sonia Sotomayor:
Senator Hutchison said she wants to remain in the Senate long enough to fight against President Barack Obama's government healthcare plan and cap and trade. ...
She went on to say she, in effect, gave Governor Perry a free pass four years ago in deciding not to run for governor at that time: "No one expected him to run again, and I stepped back last time, Mark. I really tried to give him a free ride with no primary because I thought it was right for Texas, but for him to try to stay on for 15 years is too long."
The full interview is available here. But if that time line holds fast, then, according to Roll Call yesterday, there'll be a special election to replace Hutchison on May 8.