Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton announced Monday she would no longer seek the Democratic nomination for Wisconsin governor in 2010.

Lawton’s withdrawal leaves the Democratic candidacy wide open, with current Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a Republican, the only candidate in the race.

Lawton, 58, was the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor in Wisconsin in 2002, when she made a late entry into the race as Gov. Jim Doyle’s running mate. The pair was reelected in 2006.

Doyle announced in August he would not seek another term in office and Lawton announced her candidacy the same day, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

A statement posted on the Barbara Lawton for Governor Web site Monday morning read:

“My good friends,

You know better than any my confidence in Wisconsin people, and in our resilience in a time of crisis, and in our capacity to innovate new ways to shape a better future for our state.

“My deep commitment to our state is second only to my commitment to my family. For very personal reasons, I will not pursue the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010.

“I look forward to providing active leadership to shape smart decisions for Wisconsin in the fourteen months that remain in my term in office. I will stand with you, as always.”

No one from Lawton’s campaign office was available for comment.

Janine Geske, distinguished professor of law at Marquette and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, recently joined Lawton in Madison to support passage of an Impartial Justice Bill, with the goal of “removing special interest money from Wisconsin Supreme Court elections,” according to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Web site.

Geske said there was no indication at their appearance in support of the bill Thursday that Lawton would be dropping out of the race. While she has appeared with Lawton several times, Geske said she is not close to the lieutenant governor.

“She has done a lot of very nice things for the state in terms of the arts and women and business,” Geske said. “I’ve had involvement with those but I wouldn’t call myself a close friend of hers.”

There has been widespread speculation Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, will enter the race, but he has not made any indication he will do so.