Missouri state Rep. Jerry Nolte (R) is reconsidering his options following Republican Rep. Sam Graves’ decision to run for re-election in 2012 instead of for Senate.

Nolte filed paperwork to run in Graves’ Congressional district on Feb. 2 but told Roll Call he wouldn’t run against the six-term Congressman, who announced Thursday that he’s staying put in the House.
 
“I think Sam will be great, whatever he does,” he said in a phone interview.
 
Nolte lives in Gladstone, a suburb of Kansas City currently in the southern part of Graves’ district, and he is term-limited out of his job in the state House in 2012. He was first elected in 2004 and now serves as chairman of the International Trade and Job Creation Committee. An artist and former teacher, Nolte said his next step would depend on redistricting.
 
“I’m kind of looking at everything, all the way from state Senate all the way up to Congress,” he said.
 
Nolte said he would consider running against neighboring Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver but wouldn’t run against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.