06:29 AM PST on Thursday, December 1, 2005

By BRAD CAIN, Associated Press Writer

SALEM -- State Sen. Vicki Walker says it's "highly likely" she will run against Gov. Ted Kulongoski -- a fellow Democrat -- in the 2006 governor's race but won't make it official until she sees whether former Gov. John Kitzhaber decides to make a bid for his old job.

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Vicki Walker, Democratic lawmaker from Eugene.

Walker, who has criticized what she says is Kulongoski's lack of leadership, had planned to announce her political plans on Wednesday. But the Eugene senator said she's going to hold off for a few more weeks.

"I am doing that out of respect for former Gov. Kitzhaber, who has indicated to me that he is seriously considering the race," Walker said in an interview.

The senator said she would stay out of the race and throw her support to Kitzhaber if the former Democratic governor did run.

At the same time, though, she made it clear she's increasingly leaning toward challenging Kulongoski if Kitzhaber stays out of the race.

"I'm not afraid to go up against my own party," Walker said.

Last week, Kulongoski formally filed the paperwork to run for re-election, and a campaign spokesman said the Democratic governor believes he has a strong record to run on, which includes an improving state economy.

A recent statewide poll showed Kulongoski in a virtual tie with Kitzhaber, even though Kitzhaber has said he has no plans at present to run for his old job.

The same opinion survey, by Portland pollster Mike Riley, also showed Walker and several other potential Democratic challengers in the single digits.

Walker could give Kulongoski headaches in a Democratic primary race by continuing to paint him as a lackluster governor who hasn't shown leadership in improving education or finding health care for the growing number of uninsured Oregonians.

Still, Walker knows she would have to give up her Senate seat for what would be an uphill fight in trying to unseat an incumbent governor.

"I'm not comfortable just sitting back and letting things in this state continue to spiral downward," she said. "Sometimes you need to take political risks and stop worrying about your own re-election."

Another disenchanted Democrat, Lane County Commissioner Peter Sorenson, announced in January that he's running against Kulongoski, but he hasn't filed yet.

On the Republican side, former state GOP Chairman Kevin Mannix has filed papers to make a second bid for governor next year. Mannix won the 2002 GOP primary but lost the general election to Kulongoski.

Portland lawyer Ron Saxton -- who was defeated by Mannix is the 2002 primary -- and state Sen. Jason Atkinson of Jacksonville both have said they plan to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination next May.