Democratic Rep. Ron Kind will not run for governor of Wisconsin in 2010, deciding instead to seek an eighth term in his 3rd District seat.

Kind, who would have been a top contender in the governor's race, released a statement Thursday afternoon in which he cited efforts to pass a health care overhaul as the top priority keeping him in Congress.

"My first responsibility must be to get affordable and accessible health care reform passed this year for all Wisconsin families," Kind said. "That is why I cannot run for governor. I have a responsibility and duty to the people of Wisconsin to continue work on the health care reform agenda ahead of us."

Democratic Gov. James E. Doyle announced in August that he would not seek a third term, breaking the 2010 race wide open. Kind promptly declared that he was considering a bid for governor, raising expectations that he would run.

Seven-term Democratic Rep. Ron Kind has dominated most of his elections in Wisconsin's Democratic-leaning 3rd District. He certainly is not the ripest target for a Republican takeover bid in 2010.

But state Sen. Dan Kapanke, who is thinking about launching a challenge, might at least give the GOP an experienced candidate after it ran a series of little-known contenders in Kind's recent elections.

Kapanke said he will officially announce this summer whether he plans on joining the 3rd District race. He told CQ Politics that he has been "approached by people" who are familiar with him and aware of how he works as state senator, adding that he is "encouraged by what he is hearing."