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Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., had $464,000 left in his campaign coffers after losing his reelection bid in November -- but his campaign notes that after some outstanding bills are processed, the cash on hand number will likely be closer to $150,000 - $200,000.

It's money that wouldn't hurt if Brown gets the opportunity (from Democratic Sen. John Kerry getting a cabinet appointment) to run in a special election. But it's also nothing like the huge monetary advantage he had going into the 2012 election -- about $7 million carried over from his 2010 special election victory.

And it's less than some of the Massachusetts congressmen who would potentially consider running have on hand after their reelection wins. But Brown would have a few advantages: He's a fundraising superstar (among 2012 Senate candidates he was second only to Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren in money-raising prowess); and while Democrats would likely have to spend money to win a primary, he could potentially clear the field on the GOP side.

To that point -- former GOP Gov. Bill Weld just refused to categorically rule out a Senate run in an interview with the Boston Herald but said, "I would back (Brown) strongly and would encourage him very strongly to run for that vacancy," and would be "supporting him all the way."