Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced Tuesday he will decide by the end of the week whether he will run in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
Barrett's announcement came during a news conference when he answered a reporter's question, according to Steve Chernof, chair of Barrett's finance committee.
An exact date or venue for Barrett's decision has not been determined, Chernof said. Chernof confirmed the announcement will occur at the end of this week.
According to Chernof, Barrett is not taking the decision to run for governor lightly.
""It's a serious decision, it's a serious undertaking, it's a serious job and there are all sorts of issues and one not ought to make the decision lightly,"" Chernof said. ""He's going through a deliberation process, and he's about ready to reach a conclusion.""
UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said Barrett's decision is critical for the state Democratic Party.
""I think he was clearly under a lot of pressure to decide both because he needs to get off the fence and start running if he's going to, but also other Democrats really need to get going with their races if he's not going to run,"" Franklin said.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party declined to comment on Barrett's announcement.
