Topeka ? Democrat Chris Biggs said Friday he would not seek a rematch next year against Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, a Republican whom Biggs nearly upset in 2002.

The decision by Biggs, who many had expected to run, leaves Democrats looking for a candidate to challenge Kline, who’s from the conservative wing of the GOP.

Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, said some people had asked him to run, but that he would not.

Still, he said: “That race is very winnable for a Democrat. Phill Kline has moved so far to the right he has alienated moderate Republicans to the extent that a Democrat could win that race.”

It almost happened in the last campaign.

Biggs, then Geary County prosecutor and virtually unknown on the statewide political scene, nearly beat Kline, a well-known Republican, in a highly contentious race. Kline won by less than 1 percentage point.

In 2003, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, appointed Biggs to become Kansas Securities Commissioner.

Kline has already said he intended to run for re-election.

Biggs said he decided to pass up a statewide campaign in favor of spending time with his wife, Denise, and their 3-year-old son, Ben.

• Democrat may run for attorney general (08-26-05)

“Ben will only be a little kid for only a short time, and I want to be there,” Biggs said.

Biggs said he didn’t know who would run as a Democrat, but that Kline was beatable.

“I do think the present attorney general is out of touch with the people of Kansas,” he said.

Kline spokesman Whitney Watson said Kline had worked with all kinds of people on numerous issues.

“He’s been to the four corners of the state,” Watson said. “He’s made keeping Kansans safe his top priority.”

Mike Gaughan, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said several candidates had talked to the party about running for the office, but he declined to name any.

Davis said he had heard several names mentioned, including former U.S. attorneys Jackie Williams, Randy Rathbun and the current Sedgwick County Dist. Atty. Nola Foulston.

“A lot of people expected Chris Biggs was going to run again, so they were not looking at it with a great deal of seriousness. I imagine some names will probably come forward,” Davis said.

Recently, Republican leaders criticized Biggs, saying he used an advertising campaign that warned Kansans against consumer fraud to promote himself.

Biggs dismissed those criticisms Friday, calling them “gum flapping.” He said the charges by the GOP almost made him reconsider not running.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.