Morse decides against running for governor

ALBANY - Second-term state Sen. Frank Morse announced Tuesday that he won't seek the Republican nomination for governor in the 2010 election after all.

Morse, a retired businessman and moderate Republican, has represented Senate District 8 in Linn and Benton counties since 2002. He said in early October that he was mulling the governor's race. But during the taping of OregonWeek, a video interview program, he said he won't be seeking election after all. (The full interview will be available Wednesday at democratherald.com.)

Morse, 66, he would seek re-election to the state Senate instead.The filing deadline for state offices in the May primary is March 9, 2010.

Tuesday, Morse said that the governor contest would not be right for him.

During his term, he has often fended off criticism not only from Democrats but from members of his own party who have found his support of tax reform - which would include a designated sales tax - as divisive.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who is completing his second consecutive term, is not eligible to run again.

So far, the Republicans who are running are Lake Oswego businessman Allen Alley and former state legislator John Lim, who represented the Gresham area.

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