Broken by @RalstonFlash on Twitter at 9:06 a.m.:

Is the already stuffed NV GOP Senate race about to draw another contestant. No, not Brian Krolicki. Remember the name Kirk Lippold? (more)

Lippold was commander of USS Cole when attacked by Al Qaeda. Lives in Carson City. And he’s been talking to local, DC types about Reid race.

Comment by @SteveSebelius at 10:26:

Lippold, of Carson City, was highly critical of President Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo Bay detention center.

Here’s the Wikipedia entry on Commander Lippold.

Here’s his Kepplers speakers page bio.

Here’s a clip of Lippold on Fox News Channel about a year ago, discussing Gitmo and the Cole trials.

Update (at 3:45):  Ralston has a bit more for us in his Flash newsletter just now:

As first Tweeted this morning, Kirk Lippold, the commander of the U.S.S. Cole when it was attacked, is thinking of joining the teeming field of GOP candidates against Harry Reid. Lippold, a 1977 Carson City High School grad, has been chatting with consultants here and in DC, weighing a bid. He had some fairly high-profile problems in the aftermath of the Cole incident, some of which were detailed in this 2006 Nevada Appeal piece.

I chatted this afternoon with Brian Wise, who runs Military Families United where Lippold is a fellow. “I think he’s going to (run),” Wise told me. He said Lippold started edging toward the race after the Christmas airline attack – Lippold also has been outspoken on behalf of the group on not releasing Guantanomo detainees.

Whether Lippold could raise money or gain traction at this point is as mysterious as why half of these candidates are in the contest.