The Connecticut Republican Senate primary just got a little less crowded: CNBC anchor Larry Kudlow announced on his show last night that he will not mount a campaign to take on longtime Democratic Sen. Christopher J. Dodd.

“This evening, I’m letting the world know that I am not running for the U.S. Senate. And here’s why: in my heart I know that I belong right here at CNBC,” Kudlow said.

He added that while he was flattered that the Republican party approached him about a run, “it was never really a serious proposition.”

The economist and commentator is perhaps the only Republican not licking his chops at the thought of taking on Dodd in 2010. The six-term senator is vulnerable for the first time in his career thanks to a series of scandals related to real estate deals and his ties to the financial industry. Most recently, he came under fire for his role in the AIG bonus scandal — Dodd authored the amendment in the stimulus bill on executive compensation that was then modified to exempt existing bonuses, such as the $165 million paid out by the insurance giant.

Former Republican Rep. Rob Simmons has already announced he will challenge Dodd. Republican state Sen. Sam Caligiuri and Thomas C. Foley, the former ambassador to Ireland, also are likely to enter the primary.