MSNBC host Ed Schultz said today that he will not be running for the North Dakota U.S. Senate seat that will be left open by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) who is not seeking another term.

On “Morning Joe” today, Schultz said, “I won’t say no to anything. Am I running for Senate? No. I’m not. I’m not running for Senate.”

“I was cast into this without even thinking about it,” he told the co-hosts. “And I’m expected to come up with an answer in 24 hours?”

Politico’s Michael Calderone reports that the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent a letter to the network, saying that “Schultz has utilized his own program as a means of promoting his own potential candidacy.” Schultz noted the letter on his radio program today, but reiterated that he is not running.

Yesterday, Schultz said on-air that he had been contacted by democratic leadership in ND and been asked to run.