The late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy’s son, Ted Junior, is now among the names being considered as potential candidates for the Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman’s seat in 2012.

The middle child of the late senator and his former wife Joan, Ted Junior, a 49-year-old attorney who lives in Connecticut, is being called a great candidate by his Democratic supporters.

"No one knew Lieberman would be getting out. I think Teddy would be the odds-on favorite were he to enter the race," a source told the press this week. "But I don’t know if this is the right time for him."

Other Kennedy insiders strongly believe that Ted Kennedy Junior is a natural for the soon to be vacant seat. "Why wouldn’t he be interested in the seat?" said once source. "He is his father’s son."

Kennedy, who lost a leg to cancer when he was 12, runs a successful New York law firm and is a longstanding activist for the disabled. His heartfelt and inspirational eulogy at his father’s 2009 funeral had some observers pigeonholing him for higher office, but Kennedy himself is refusing to comment at the moment.

Speculation was already rife that Kennedy would run before Lieberman’s shocking retirement announcement. But Kennedy is not the only Democrat in the running in Connecticut. Former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz produced a poll this week that showed her beating Kennedy in a primary.

Others candidates eyeing the Connecticut seat include Republican Linda McMahon, who lost her 2010 Senate bid, having sunk a reported $50 million of her own money in the campaign.