Vermont Gov. Won't Seek Re-Election

(AP)  Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas announced Thursday he won't seek re-election, saying that after 36 years in the spotlight, it was time to call it quits.

In a surprise announcement he attributed mainly to personal reasons, the 58-year-old Republican said he wouldn't run for another two-year term next year but had no plans to seek other elected office.

"As any farmer knows after many years working sunup to sundown, seven days a week, there comes a time to turn over the reins to fresh arms. For me, that time is approaching. After 36 years as a public servant, 28 of those years in statewide office, with what will be eight years as governor, and through 15 statewide elections, I will have held center stage long enough for anybody."

Douglas, who'd said in recent months that he planned to run again, made the announcement midway through his fourth term in a room packed with longtime aides, supporters and some political opponents. He wasn't specific in saying why he didn't want to continue in the job, saying only he'd been in public service long enough.

"I know there will be some speculation as to what is next, so I want to lay a few questions to rest immediately: I am not running for president. (Wife) Dorothy has a divorce lawyer on speed dial if I ever utter that crazy idea," he said.

Elected recently to chair the National Governors Association, he also has been an informal advisor to President Barack Obama on health care and other issues.

A fiscal conservative and social moderate who has bucked Vermont's political tide for years, Douglas has endured an increasingly rocky relationship with the state's Democrat-controlled legislature. In April, the Legislature approved gay marriage over his veto. The Legislature also overrode his veto of the state budget.

Three Democrats have already announced plans to run against Douglas in 2010.

On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie is seen as the most obvious candidate. He left the door open to a potential run Thursday.

"The Governor's announcement today changes the political landscape in Vermont," said Dubie. "As Vermonters reflect on this new landscape, I will contemplate my options. Right now, I will focus on doing my job. I will discuss my plans when the time is right."

A fixture in Vermont politics since 1972, when he was elected to the House of Representatives as a 21-year-old fresh out of Middlebury College, Douglas went on to serve as secretary of state and state treasurer before being elected governor in 2002.

[stn_sage]

To User_:

In light of recent times, I can see why you say what you said.

It is logical and at this point, the law of probability is on your side!
But he's been in public service for 36 years, the last eight as governor.
So, obviously the people of Vermont kept him in office past his first term as governor.

No, it's possible that it's just as he says, he wants to move on and make a change in his life and do something else!

Personally, I'm happy for him! I'd like to see at least ONE Republican
governor who had served the public with honor get out of office without being 'chased out of office'!

He's a 'dying breed'! So, my congratulations to him! And, I wish him good luck in his future endeavors!

[User_00000000002945496845]

He's hiding something -- incestuous homosexual adultery, lurid, crack cocaine liaisons in airport bathrooms.

We've seen it all before.

[User_00000000002945496845]

We're all just waiting for the real story to come out i.e. homosexual prostitutes paid for with crack cocaine purchased with taxpayer dollars etc. We've seen this story about Limbaughricas about fifty thousand times before -- retiring or wanting to spend more time with their families etc. only to have it turn out that they were trying to dodge responsibility for their despicable acts.

[User_00000000002945496845]

He's obviously being forced out by some as yet undisclosed scandal.