Edmondson says Oklahoma governor's race his last

"I don't see myself running for office in the future," Edmondson said a day after losing the Democratic primary election to Lt. Gov. Jari Askins by less than 1,500 votes out of more than 260,000 cast. "I have no interest in going to Washington. I was interested in being governor."

But Edmondson, 63, said he does not plan to leave Oklahoma politics completely and will stay involved by supporting candidates in other political contests. He has already offered to help Askins in the general election.

"I don't think I'm taking myself out of politics," he said. "I don't think I could if I tried. I'll always be interested."

Edmondson served one term in the Oklahoma House in the mid 1970s before being elected three times as Muskogee County district attorney, beginning in 1982. Edmondson was elected attorney general in 1994 and held the position for 16 years before stepping down to run for governor.

Members of his family have been politically active in Oklahoma for decades. His father, Ed Edmondson, served in Congress for 20 years and his uncle, J. Howard Edmondson, served as governor from 1959 to 1963. His brother, Jim Edmondson, is chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Edmondson attributed his narrow loss in the Democratic primary to Askins' strength in southern Oklahoma and other rural areas where primary elections for local offices were dominated by Democrats.

Typically, county commissioner and other local races in rural counties tend to be Democratic primaries. Edmondson said areas where he was strongest, including the Tulsa area and Oklahoma County, tended to have Republican primaries for local offices.

"My first blush on what happened is that there was better turnout in areas where Askins was strong than there was in areas where I was strong," he said. "I think it was local races."

Edmondson said he is disappointed with his second-place finish in the race.

"But I'm not in any way depressed," he said. "I'm very upbeat. We did not win the election, but life goes on."

Edmondson said he agreed to help Askins in the general election because he believes a Democratic governor will have a moderating influence on the kind of legislation that Oklahoma's Republican-dominated Legislature might approve.

Also, legislative and congressional districts will be redrawn by state lawmakers in 2011 and the only way to ensure a bipartisan process is to have a Democratic governor, he said.

Edmondson said he plans to finish his job as the state's top law enforcement officer before possibly getting involved in a private law practice. Edmondson has about six months remaining as attorney general.

"I owe the people my service there," he said. "I've enjoyed every job I've ever had. That is a true blessing. I think I would have enjoyed being governor. I've certainly enjoyed being attorney general.

"I'm certainly grateful to the people for letting me serve in elective office. And I always will be."