ATTLEBORO - Yes, City Councilor Brian Kirby says, his house is for sale.

And no, he says, that does not mean he is running for state representative next year.

Kirby said his full attention was getting re-elected in Tuesday's city election, and he is not running for state representative.

Rumors had been spreading in the city that Kirby, a Republican, was selling his house on Holden Street to move into the district represented by state Rep. Bill Bowles so he could run against the Democrat.

Even Bowles said he believed the rumors were true. Kirby lives on Holden Street in Precinct 3B, which is the only section of the city represented by fellow Republican state Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro. Bowles represents the rest of the city.

An at-large councilor, Kirby said his house is for sale, but he wants to move to another area of the city for family reasons.

Kirby said he and his wife would like to live on a less busy street so their young daughter can ride her bicycle.

If the move happens to bring him into the other district, Kirby said he may consider running for state representative in the future.

State law requires a person to live in a district for a full year to be eligible to run for state representative. Kirby would have had to move by Monday to meet the deadline.

He said he will keep all of his options open for the future, including looking at other offices.

"If the house sells, it will give me options," he said.

Another possibility is Precinct 3B could be moved back into the district with the rest of the city when the Legislature passes redistricting next year, he said.

Bowles said he had heard from numerous people that Kirby was moving into the district to run against him, including some in "Republican circles."

City Councilor George Ross, a Republican who ran last year and intends to run again next year, said he was convinced that Kirby was going to run. JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0399 or at jhand@thesunchronicle.com.