Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas (R) just announced that he will not seek re-election, creating an open-seat race in 2010 and offering Democrats a chance to win back the office for the first time since Howard Dean held it.

"As any farmer knows ... there comes a time to turn over the reigns to fresh arms," he said at a brief news conference this morning. "For me that time is approaching."

Douglas is currently serving his fourth two-year term, having won re-election easily three times in a heavily-Democratic state. There are already several Democrats angling to run, including state Sens. Doug Racine and Susan Bartlett and Secretary to State Deb Markowitz.

Douglas, who was a strong ally of President Obama during his effort to pass the stimulus bill, is currently serving as chair of the National Governors Association. He said he has no plans to run for the U.S. Senate or for Congress in 2010, but had no plans to be a lame duck governor. He also ruled out an even higher office.

"I am not running for president," he said to laughs. "Dorothy has a divorce lawyer on speed dial if I ever utter that crazy idea."