HONOLULU -- The Democrats' list of possible gubernatorial candidates in 2006 just got shorter. Hawaii U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie announced Monday that he won't be running for governor.

State Democratic Party chairman Brickwood Galuteria said earlier this month that Abercrombie might run against Republican incumbent Gov. Linda Lingle.

"After giving careful thought to the question and speaking with many, many people, it became clear: I cannot abandon my work as a member of Hawaii's congressional delegation," Abercrombie said.

He said he didn't want to give up 15 years worth of seniority in Congress even though he feels Gov. Linda Lingle is beatable.

Two others considering running for the Democratic nomination for governor are Big Island Mayor Harry Kim and retired Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue.

"Once our candidate does emerge, we will be fully equipped as opposed to 2002 and we will not let that happen again," Hawaii Democratic Party Chairman Brickwood Galuteria said.

"It's like if you had Yankee Stadium but didn't have a baseball team. That's all nice and that's all well and good, but there's nobody to step in," University of Hawaii political science professor Neal Milner said. "The Democratic Party right now is not looking to be in very good shape."

Republican Lingle has $2.2 million in her campaign war chest and plans to raise millions more.

The former governor, and the last Democrat to beat Lingle in 1998, is Ben Cayetano.

"The Democratic Party is in a tough position, but we have been in this position before. (George) Ariyoshi was, (John) Waihee was, I was, and we managed to come out of it," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said Lingle has not been effective, and she's benefited from an improved economy that she hasn't done much to help.

"There is enough there, in terms of the governor's vulnerability, that a Democrat could win," Cayetano said.

Political experts say the longer a major Democrat waits to get into the race against Lingle, the harder it will be to beat her.