Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, had been mentioned for months as a possible replacement for Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, if Mr. Gonzales resigned.

Mr. Gonzales announced his resignation this morning, and it came to this reporter's attention that Mr. Hatch's former spokesman, Peter Carr, left the senator's office just over a week ago to go work at the Justice Department, in the press office.

But a Hatch spokeswoman this afternoon ruled out the possibility of Mr. Hatch replacing Mr. Gonzales.

Heather Barney, Mr. Hatch's spokeswoman, was with Mr. Hatch in Utah and said she had talked to the senator this morning.

"He said he won't be the attorney general and he's confident that they'll be looking at some qualified candidates he can support," Ms. Barney said.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times