From RutlandHerald.com:

Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, heir-apparent to the Republican Party’s departing standard-bearer, wouldn’t say Thursday whether he’ll seek the state’s top elected office in 2010.

But party officials insist they have plenty of viable candidates waiting in the wings as Republicans seek to fill the leadership void left by their four-term governor’s decision not to run again.

Minutes after Gov. James Douglas made his announcement, the issue of succession focused squarely on Dubie, who won the lieutenant governor’s office in 2000 and has enjoyed comfortable re-election margins ever since.

During an interview in his first-floor office, the Essex pilot and Air Force reservist said he’s not ready to announce yet whether he’ll seek to replace Douglas. Soon though, he promised, he’ll share his intentions with Vermont voters.

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