Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton said Monday she will run for governor in 2010 if Gov. Jim Doyle does not seek re-election.

Lawton said Doyle is “decidedly undecided” about whether he will run for a third term as the state’s top executive.

The topic first came up in an Associated Press interview. When asked about a potential run for the governorship, Lawton said the answer was simple: “Of course I would consider that.”

Mike Edmondson, Doyle’s finance director, said it was too soon to be thinking about the 2010 campaign.

“Gov. Doyle is focused on doing what’s right for the people of Wisconsin, not an election that’s over two years away.”

He said Doyle had not yet made the decision on whether to run and will not focus on the election for a while yet.

“We’re working hard on the campaign to make sure that the governor will be in the best position possible when the time comes to make that decision,” Edmondson said.

Lawton is not pushing for a decision either.

“He has plenty of time to think about that and should give it careful thought,” Lawton said.

Kirsten Kukowski, communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said Lawton’s comments do not matter.

“Our standpoint is that it’s basically a moot point, because Doyle’s going to run again,” Kukowski said. “If he doesn’t, she’s going to have a hard time winning her own primary.”

Lawton said it was logical to consider the office of governor, as her first job as lieutenant governor is to hold up the line of succession.

“Every lieutenant governor in the country has considered how they would serve as governor because they must. It’s part of their responsibility,” Lawton said.

No woman has ever been elected to the office of governor in Wisconsin, and Lawton was the first woman elected to serve as lieutenant governor when she was elected with Doyle in 2002.

As of the end of 2007, Lawton has raised about $7,000 for her campaign. Doyle has topped $942,000.