Topeka ? Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh has decided not to enter the governor’s race, saying a campaign next year would force him to sacrifice too much time with his family.

Thornburgh’s announcement Thursday left House Speaker Doug Mays as the only announced candidate for the Republican nomination and the right to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. She hasn’t announced her plans, but members of both parties expect her to seek a second term.

“I’m convinced that, with the support we have around the state, I could have won the primary, and I think would have had a decent shot at the general election,” Thornburgh said in an interview.

But Thornburgh said discussions with his wife, Annette, about a potential gubernatorial campaign revolved around how they would squeeze time into a campaign schedule for their two sons, 8-year-old Greyson and 5-year-old Tanner.

“What’s important to me is the family, and I don’t want it to be something I’m trying to squeeze in – two childhoods into a gubernatorial campaign,” he said.

Mays acknowledged that Thornburgh’s decision makes the task of winning the Republican nomination easier. Thornburgh is serving his third term as secretary of state, and Mays said Thornburgh would have been a formidable candidate. Both men are from Topeka.

“I can understand exactly where he’s coming from,” Mays said. “Ron’s relatively young and has a lot of future ahead of him.”

State GOP Chairman Tim Shallenburger, who lost the 2002 race to Sebelius, said he expects a contested Republican primary next year. He said such a contest wouldn’t hurt the nominee – if it’s not divisive.

“When you’re going up against an incumbent, it’s kind of like a training race,” Shallenburger said. “You just don’t want to come out of it beat up and broke.”

Thornburgh said his announcement does not necessarily mean he will seek re-election as secretary of state. But he still has a campaign committee for that office in place, and he said he would make an announcement later.

Also considering a run for governor are State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, of Topeka, and Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, of Independence.

Former House Speaker Robin Jennison, of Healy, said he’s been contacted about running but said his plans currently are on hold. He said he would have supported Thornburgh.

“Clearly, we both didn’t want to be in the race,” he said. “We thought somebody who could bring both parts of the party together should be in a race. I told the folks calling me I would defer to Ron.”

Thornburgh, 42, first was elected secretary of state in 1994, having served as both assistant secretary of state and head of the office’s elections division. In 2002, he won re-election with nearly two-thirds of the vote.

Thornburgh’s announcement came a day after Sen. Kay O’Connor, of Olathe, announced that she would seek the Republican nomination for secretary of state.

O’Connor, among the Legislature’s most conservative members, received national attention in 2001 after saying women’s voting was a sign that American society doesn’t value families enough. Thornburgh is a moderate.